Second Chances
by mommy4thomas
Summary: Bella Swan has been on the run for two years, avoiding the wrath of a Cold One named Victoria. One night, her past catches up to her in Savannah, Georgia. Will she be given a second chance at life and love? Takes place after season six of TVD and after the events of New Moon. It will not follow the canon timelines and it is alternate universe.
1. Part One: Bat Out of Hell

**I Do not own _Twilight_ or _The Vampire Diaries_.**

Bella Swan had been on her own for two years. She had no one to rely on. She was bitter, afraid and dejected. She decided that tonight would be the night that it would all come to an end. Sometimes in life you just have to say, "Enough is enough." and be done with it.

She was completely exhausted after all the never-ending running from the one that wanted her dead. It wasn't enough the red-head had already killed her entire family. Her dear, sweet mother had been pregnant with her second child and her stepfather had been basking in nothing but pure joy as he awaited the arrival of his first born son.

Victoria - the vampire that wanted her dead, ruthlessly murdered them in their own home. They had been found splayed on the floor with their heads missing and their hearts ripped out of their chests. The fetus was torn from its mother and placed between the two would-be parents. It had been a macabre picture of the perfect family.

At first, no one had known it was a vampire attack. The police thought it was a robbery gone wrong, or perhaps that was some crazy murderer. They wasted precious hours going over files of known serial killers and bringing in an FBI profiler. Perhaps it was standard procedure in most cases, but there was nothing standard about the murders of Renee and Phil Dwyer. Her mother and stepfather were nothing more than an easy target.

A week after the murders, Bella lay her loved ones to rest, and returned home to Forks. She had an eerie notion that something was off the moment she stepped foot she into the house. She even felt her stomach knot up painfully as she made her way upstairs to her bedroom. When she entered the room, she saw a rather large box brazenly sitting on the bed. It had no address, no markings, no nothing.

She had warily walked over to it, ripped off the tape that sealed it, and then undid the flaps. When she peered inside, there was a cooler nestled within the box. She gingerly removed the cooler and opened it. Once she did, her shrill scream could be heard two houses down the street. For in the box, were the heads of her mother and stepfather.

A revelation flooded her thoughts - she knew that something was after her. Something she could not tell the law about; nor her father. She wasn't a hundred percent sure at the time it was a vampire, but the facts were quickly adding up.

A week later confirmed her suspicions when she encountered Laurent, a supposed friend and former coven mate of a tracker named James, a vampire who ruthlessly hunted her down at one time and tried to kill her. Laurent had tried to make her his meal, but found himself dead and lit on fire, instead. Humongous wolves had appeared out of nowhere and ripped him apart. Bella had fled the scene just as purple smoke rose from the forest.

During the short conversation she had with the vampire before his attack confirmed her fears that someone was indeed out to get her. More than that, he told her _who_ was after her and _why_. The killings were nothing more than a game to Victoria, all in retribution for the death of her mate…

The truth of the matter was that her mate deserved to die. Bella could easily recall how James had been malicious, cruel and so very eager to kill her. At the time, she was thankful to have a vampire boyfriend and his very gifted coven; for they rescued her and destroyed the evil bastard.

If the Cullen family had not shown up when they did, she would be dead. James had been merciless when he tossed her about a ballet studio and broke her bones in an almost gleeful manner. He obviously enjoyed the thrill of taunting his prey before finally reaping the reward... the victim's blood.

He had bit down on her wrist and was drinking heavily from her when her boyfriend, Edward, barged in and fought with him. But it was not he who killed James. It was his fellow coven member, Jasper. Edward was much too busy sucking the deadly venom out of Bella's body so that she would not become a vampire. He simply didn't care about the tracker; he was far more concerned about her precious soul than an apparent sociopath. He had gladly let Jasper and the rest of his coven handle it while he played hero and saved her.

She couldn't help but feel bitter about that little fact. He could have easily turned her into a vampire and ended her suffering. But no… she suffered for six weeks afterwards as her wounds healed. Six long weeks that seemed to drag on like they were months while Edward and his so-called family took control over her life - what she ate, what she wore, her activities, who she spoke to… they controlled every little thing.

When the cast came off, she felt a bit of freedom when she was allowed to be on her own for certain periods of time. It had been a relief to have some respite from her overbearing boyfriend and his family. Though, in the back of her mind she felt fear that James' coven mates were out there. Jasper had suggested that they go after them to ensure Bella's safety. Edward, presumptuous by nature because he could read minds, made the assumption that the other two members would be completely harmless and told everyone to just let them go.

If the pussypires had only listened to Jasper then, her life would not be the hell it was now. Her parents would be alive. Her best friend would be alive. She would have a home and a future. Yet, she had nothing but her beat up old truck, some clothes and a couple of photographs.

All she knew was running, never staying in one place for too long; out of fear that Victoria would catch up to her. She tried to mask her scent by changing her shampoo and body wash. She even changed her diet and took up smoking. All in hopes that she could somehow throw off her scent, making it harder for the vampire to catch a whiff of her in the air.

Bella was also careful to stay in the south, where the sun shone often. That would only mean Victoria could come out at night. Not even she would risk her sparkling skin to the humans, no matter how badly she wanted her dead.

Bella parked her truck outside a diner in Savannah, Georgia. She took her pictures from the glove compartment. She looked down at the picture of her father in his police uniform while tears spilled from her eyes and down her cheeks. The other picture had been of her best friend, Jacob. She wistfully smiled as she remembered her Sun.

Jacob had been the one who kept her shattered heart melded together after Edward and his family cruelly abandoned her. It had been after a disastrous birthday party where Jasper had tried to take a bite out of her. Edward made his final decision in regards to her and their relationship and ended things in the woods behind her house. That was only after he tossed every insecurity she had in her face and told her she wasn't good enough for him. He had told her she was only human and had no place in his world. He had also promised her that it would be as if he never existed.

She bitterly laughed as she sat in the truck. "As if you never existed, my ass." she seethed.

Something then caught her eye and she momentarily forgot what she was thinking about when she caught a glimpse of a man dressed in black standing underneath the lamppost across the street. He had his foot propped up against the post, and his hands were stuffed into his pockets while he surveyed the scene around him. His eyes caught hers, then he cocked his head to the side, boldly smirking at her.

She blinked and he was gone. She was sure she had imagined it as she leaned back in the seat of her truck. Her mind flashed to the day she had come home and witnessed the sight of her father impaled against the wall. His body had been drained of blood and hung at an awkward angle. It seemed that every bone in his body had been shattered. It was an unsettling sight, to say the least.

She had made her way through the house and to the back door. Once she opened it, she looked out onto the back yard. There, she had found Jacob's mangled body in his wolf form; furry limbs were scattered all over the yard. She walked around in shock while she took in the view of the blood-stained back wall of the house. The whole area looked as though it was painted in blood. It dripped from the limbs of nearby trees and there were puddles of it all over the back yard. The spectacle reminded her of a gruesome horror film.

She had fell to the ground sobbing, allowing the grief to overtake her. She didn't know how long she had sat there when Sam - the Alpha of Jacob's pack, stepped out from the tree line.

"Bella, we chased her away. She's gone for now. I'm so sorry about Charlie. He was a good man." He spoke calmly and sympathetically.

Her grief turned to anger quick as a flash while she came to her feet, her eyes blazing with fury, "You _chased_ her away?" You mean to tell me that your pack couldn't hunt the bitch down and kill her!?"

She then marched forward, "You and Jake both promised me! You fucking _promised_ that you would protect Charlie and I…" Tears pricked her eyes as she threw up her hands, "Just look at this!"

She laughed bitterly, "He's dead! Hell! I'd be better off on my own. You guys are worthless! An entire pack of mutts couldn't catch one little bitch!"

Sam sighed and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Bella, I know you are angry and upset right now. You have every right to be; but you must know that we did all we could. Victoria is good at getting away…"

"No shit, Sherlock! Just how long have you guys been after her, now? A year or more? I think it is safe to say that you are never going to catch her and considering its obvious you don't know what the hell you are doing - I think it'll be better if I just leave town."

She looked down at the ground with a sigh and blew out a breath to release some of the ire she felt. She then bit her lip, quickly making plans in her head before she met the Alpha's face once more, "You can take care of Jake and I'll handle things from here…"

Sam cocked his head to the side, worry washing over his features, "What is it you're going to do, exactly?"

She gave him an awkward smile as she replied, "It is _not_ your problem anymore, Sam… just go."

She turned her back to him and walked to the house solemnly. She calmly opened the door and found her way to her bedroom. There, she grabbed a small duffle bag and stuffed some clothes, underwear and a few pictures that she wanted to keep. She took the bag out to her truck and tossed it on the front seat.

Bella then made her way to the garage and picked up a can of kerosene and the gallon of gas Charlie kept aside for the lawnmower. Her mind and spirit went into autopilot as she went back into the house, ignoring the body of her father and set the can of kerosene in the middle of the floor. She unscrewed the cap on the gas and slowly walked through the house, leaving a trail of it behind. She detached herself emotionally from the scene and stepped out of the house.

Standing on the front stoop, she inhaled a deep breath while the memories of the past flashed through her mind. She had met and fell in love with a vampire, was abandoned by him, found out her best friend could shape-shift into a wolf, lost her family and had someone hell bent on revenge after her. Once the crisp air hit her face, the emotional toll overwhelmed her and she didn't fight the tears that fell steadily down her face. She bid her father a silent goodbye and walked to the squad car, where she knew he always kept a Zippo handy.

She walked back into the house, heading towards the kitchen. She grabbed one of her father's beers, popped the cap and quickly guzzled it down as she spotted a newspaper on the counter. She set the empty bottle down, tore off a piece of the paper, then folded it up and twisted it. She inserted it in the bottle, leaving a wick of sorts. She peeked over to the living room window, then briskly made her way over to it and opened it before ambling out of the house.

Bella stood on the front lawn and nervously drew in a breath. She glanced around, making sure there were no witnesses before she took the Zippo out of her pocket and lit the edge of the paper inside the bottle. She quickly tossed the bottle through the window and ran to her truck.

That was at that moment her life on the run began. She knew many would assume she died in the fire, as well. She also knew it would never fool a vampire. Sam had seen her and she knew that Victoria would pick up on that little tidbit sooner or later.

It had bought her a few months of freedom as she travelled from place to place. First was California, where she lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego before finally moving on. She eventually found her way back to Phoenix, Arizona. The memories of her life there with her mother were much too much for her, although she felt a sense of familiarity and security in the state. It was her home for such a long time; so she decided to settle in nearby Glendale for a while.

Bella felt safe there since it was relatively sunny most of the time. Her savings held out, but she still wanted to work, even if it just meant having something to do. She couldn't stand the thought of being holed up in her tiny one bedroom apartment all of the time, and she reasoned she'd be far safer in the public eye.

She got a job at a used book store and settled into a lonely existence. She was friendly enough with her boss and co-workers, but ever mindful not to get too close to anyone. She wouldn't want Victoria to use them as leverage.

She stayed there for a good eight months and in that time, her grief at the deaths of her loved ones ebbed away to a dull ache. The pain of missing them wasn't quite as sharp as it first was. During those months, she had also come to the conclusion that it wasn't _her_ that wasn't good enough for Edward. It was the other way around, _he_ wasn't good enough for her.

It was also there she learned for certain that there was no escaping Victoria. She was walking home from work one afternoon when she spotted a blurring figure that glittered in the rays of the sun making its way up the fire escape to her building. Not willing to take any chances, she quickly grabbed the keys to her truck and made her way to it. As soon as she had the ignition running, she stepped on the gas and peeled out of there.

She drove until she was nearly out of gas and it was only then she pulled over at a truck stop. She checked the glove compartment and made sure that her pictures and money she had hidden in the secret compartment were there. She sighed in relief and grabbed some of the bills, filled her tank and went into the convenience store. She bought a t-shirt to sleep in, some snacks, a soda, and paid for her gas.

She found a cheap motel and crashed there for the night. As soon as the sun was up, she quickly showered and left the city and moved on. She drove from place to place, never staying in one spot for too long. The place she stayed at the longest was Miami, Florida. Always sunny, always crowded and there could be a job found doing just about anything. She had stayed there long enough to add back the color she had lost while on the run and also took a stab at changing her appearance.

She cut her hair and dyed it a golden blond. She wasn't particularly fond of the color, but at least it helped her blend in among the thousands of the blond beach bunnies. Her wardrobe changed drastically, as well. She worked at a nightclub and sexy clothes were needed to get those extra tips. It was there her confidence improved as she mastered the art of flirting and how to control the men that got a little too handsy.

Her boss, Sonny, was an ex narcotics detective and had taken quite a liking to her. He taught her how to handle the men and taught her some basic self-defense moves. He himself being an all-around ladies' man knew just what would work to get rid of unwanted advances. He had told her that if all else failed, a good knee to the nutsack would do the job. That advice she took on more than one occasion and not once did she ever say she was sorry.

It was a busy night at the club when Victoria had caught up with her once again. She was at the bar awaiting drink orders when she caught a flash of bright red hair. She froze and grabbed ahold of the bar.

"What's got you so scared, Kitten?" Sonny spoke into her ear as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"I got to go…." she whispered in fright, stepping away him.

He shook his head and grasped her hand, "Now, you wait a minute! I know you're runnin' from somethin'! I was a cop too damn long not to know that. Let me help you!" he told her sternly.

"Y-You can't! She'll kill you!" Bella stuttered out.

"Not the first time I've heard that one, baby." he retorted back softly.

"I'm serious! I won't give her a chance to. Just let me go...NOW!"

He nodded while blowing out a breath and reached into his pocket, pulled out some money and handed it to her. "Well then, you get out of here and if you get in trouble... you damn sake better call me!" he ordered. When she didn't say anything, he arched a brow, "Got it?"

She squeezed his hand as she took the money and then kissed him on the cheek, "Thanks, Sonny."

Somehow, she had made it out of there and to her truck. She thanked her lucky stars for that. She traveled through the state, up to Orlando, then Jacksonville. She stayed on the move until she found herself in Savannah, Georgia.

The last few months had been nothing more than a cat and mouse game between herself and Victoria. She had discovered that no matter what she did; she could never outrun the bitch that was hell bent on revenge. The vampire would never stop chasing her until she was dead.

She tucked her photos into her leather jacket with a sigh as she got out of the truck and walked into the diner. She sat at the table and fidgeted, while thinking about her parents, her stepfather and her best friend. She even thought about Sonny. She was startled when the waitress approached her with a menu. Bella had stared at it blankly and when the tall brunette asked what she wanted to drink, she surprised herself with the decision to order a beer.

The waitress studied her at her, then shook her head. "Gonna need some ID, Pumpkin."

Bella eyed the waitress down, "Are you _shitting_ me?"

The waitress frowned, "Afraid not."

Bella rolled her eyes and read the woman's name on her tag. "Well, _Harley_...Do I need ID to get a coffee, too?" she smarted.

"Nope, that I can do!" With a salute, Harley jaunted off to fill the order.

Bella was reading through the menu to decide what she wanted when a bottle of Bud Light was placed down in front of her. She glanced up to the waitress and was about to say something, but she was cut off.

"Don't thank me, thank the hot guy over there at the counter." Harley then jerked her head towards the counter, "The drink is on him. He said it looked like you needed one."

Bella warily glanced over towards the counter, spotting the guy she had seen earlier standing under the lamppost. He raised his glass to her and nodded once. She took a good look at him and noted that his eyes were a startling blue filled with pain and sorrow. She fleetingly wondered if he had lost as much as she had. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts and turned back towards the waitress to place her order.

Once she finished her meal, she made her way to the register and there, the cashier told her that her check was covered. Again - courtesy of the man at the counter. She simply shrugged, wondering just what the guy's deal was. It was almost as if he knew she was in danger. Almost like he knew that she was about to surrender herself to death and was offering her a gift with her beer and last meal. Did she have a sign on her back that said 'Dead Woman Walking'?

She walked out the door and down the sidewalk. When she got to a secluded area, she saw a blur and a flash of red hair.

"Oh come on, Vicki..." she whispered. "The game is up…you win. Just kill me and be done with it."

Someone roughly snatched her, tossing her into a nearby alley. The wind was nearly knocked out of her as she hit a brick wall. She shook her head and blinked. When her vision cleared, she was met with the frightening red eyes of Victoria.

"Oh you don't think I was going to actually make it quick and painless, did you? Oh, no… you _will_ _suffer_!" With that, Victoria had smacked her hard enough that her eardrum popped and her cheek cracked. Blood trickled out of her ear, making her nauseous.

Victoria smiled maliciously. "This will be so much fun, Isabella!" She grabbed Bella by the collar and tossed her to the other side of the alley.

"You're not making this any fun! Aren't you going to try and fight back? That's what Daddy did! He didn't give up so easily..."

The red head bent down and roughly gripped Bella's chin. 'Actually, he tried to shoot me!" She then chuckled, "and your little friend Jake tried to bite me. It was cute how the little puppy dog tried to take on the big bad vampire." Her fingers dug into Bella's chin and she tilted her head to the side as her eyes shimmered with glee.

"But your precious mommy was a screamer. Did you know that? I just loved how she screamed when I ripped that baby from her womb!"

She then picked Bella up and slammed her against the wall. "So… are you going to scream like mommy or fight like daddy? What will it be?" she hissed.

Bella defiantly met her eyes. "Neither one. Just kill me." she uttered.

"But where would the thrill in that be, little girl? Hmm?" She then run a finger along Bella's neck, mopping up the trail of blood there before popping it in her mouth, "Hmm..."

She smacked her lips with a wicked grin, " _Delicious_. I guess we know what it was your mind reader was really after, don't we? It certainly couldn't have been your looks…"

That vampire's babyish voice was starting to grate on Bella's nerves and a spark suddenly lit within her. Surely, she couldn't just give up for this petulant little bitch that had misguided ideas on where her vengeance should lie. It wasn't her fault that her mate was stupid enough to go after someone protected by a coven of very gifted vampires, not thinking there wouldn't be any repercussions.

She licked her lips and met Victoria in the eyes, scoffing. "You really think that James' death was my fault?! It wasn't even Edward that killed him! He was too much of a goody-good for that! It was Jasper that killed him! The rest of the family lit him on fire! Shouldn't you be going after them?" She kept her gaze steady on the vampire and would not back down from her words.

The red head just shook her head, "Doesn't matter. You played your part in it, too. For that, you're going to suffer just as my James did!"

"You _are_ a stupid, bitch. Aren't you?" Bella asked with a touch of incredulity.

Victoria tensed for a moment before she growled and hissed, "You'll pay for that!"

She then yanked on Bella's arm and pulled it from its socket. The young human girl bit down on her tongue to keep from screaming. She was not about to give the vampire any satisfaction of letting her know how much pain she was in. She decided straightaway she wouldn't even let out a whimper.

Dissatisfied at the girl's reaction, she pulled Bella's other arm from its socket, then yanked at her hair while her other hand came crashing down on the human's uninjured cheek, shattering her cheekbone.

Bella's nose bled profusely and just as she thought she'd pass out from the smell, Victoria kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying towards the other end of the alley.

She laid on the ground, blood oozing from her face and her vision blurry. She saw the flash of red hair coming to her and whatever will she had mustered up to live was quickly gone as the vampire kneeled before her.

"Say goodbye, Isabella." she whispered triumphantly. She then opened her mouth, preparing bite the girl's neck.

Bella's eyes widened and her heart thumped wildly. _This is the end_ , she thought.

Suddenly, Victoria was no longer there. There was a blur of black and a flash of red hair; there were movements that her human eyes couldn't keep up with. It was then her body could no longer take the excruciating pain, and the smell of blood overwhelmed her senses. Her vision slowly faded until she drifted into darkness.

Bella awoke the next morning with a pounding headache. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her lower lip to distract herself from what felt like a jackhammer in her head. There was also an odd taste in her mouth that was sweet, yet salty. The closest thing she could compare it to was a chocolate covered pretzel. She could also taste the faintest hint of copper and it puzzled her. Thinking on it for a moment, she was reasoned it was the blood she had swallowed during her incident with Victoria.

She inhaled a sharp breath in fear while gripping the sheets of the bed she was lying in. Flashbacks came to mind of the brutal beating she had received. She didn't know how she could have survived and then the image of a black blur fighting the vampire came to mind. She was sure that is what saved her and she wondered how it was even possible.

She opened her eyes slowly and took note that she was in a room of some sort - _a nice hotel room_ , she surmised. She could spot the silk curtains, the expensive art that hung on the wall, and the fine china vases filled with flowers. Gingerly running her hand across the bed, she wearily blew out a breath. She slowly shook her head as she comprehended her surroundings and timidly sat up, bringing her knees to her chest.

It was then that she begun to ponder why she wasn't in pain. She should be dead, or at least in an intensive care unit somewhere. The pounding in her head returned and she rubbed her temples to soothe the ache.

"Good morning, sunshine! I see you're awake. Took you long enough…"

The voice was husky, sexy and had a dangerous edge to it. It was smooth as silk and Bella couldn't help but turn her head to it. She almost wished she hadn't…for there was the man she had seen at the diner, walking out of the adjoining bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was wet and as each drop of water trickled down his body, she felt an urge to lick them off with her tongue.

She blinked several times in a vain attempt at banishing the vision before her and emptied her head of any ideas about licking anything. She cleared her throat and made a point to look the man in the eye, "Ummm…"

He raised a brow as he looked at her. The light flashed upon his face and she noted once again that his eyes were oh, so blue. She was almost completely mesmerized by them, but then his snarky tone filled the air when he spoke, breaking whatever spell she felt she was under.

"I guess this is the part where either start screaming bloody murder because you woke up to a sexy naked guy in a hotel room, or you put me in a round of twenty questions."

Bella simply stared at him, unable to formulate a response. He sighed, "The least you can do is thank me for saving your life and offing Ms. Ginger."

Swallowing thickly at the revelation of him being the black blur that attacked Victoria the night before, she questioned him apprehensively, "That...was _you_? How?! You're just human..."

His lips slowly formed into a smirk, "Well, if you really want to be technical about it… I am human. Just dead, or undead; however you want to put it." He then shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm a vampire."

She couldn't quite believe his words as she looked at him owlishly. She grasped at the bedding once more and her heartbeat sped up. Not out of fear, but nervousness. The last good looking vampire she met, she had ended up falling in love with. That ill-fated love affair nearly destroyed her. The thoughts of the past played through her mind like an old movie and she sighed regretfully, knowing that falling in love with Edward had cost her everything.

She eyed the so-called vampire before her and recollected seeing him at the lamppost - not sparkling. Then she remembered him drinking at the diner. She didn't suppose that he was lying, but the two facts were contradictory to what she knew about vampires. Bella shook her head in disbelief and blurted out, "But you don't sparkle!"

He laughed humorously. "Vampires don't sparkle, they _burn_ in the sun!" He spun around and grabbed a glass of amber liquid before turning back to her. " _Cold Ones_ , on the other hand… glitter like a disco ball." His eyes darkened and there was a menacing glint behind them. "Don't _ever_ compare me to those _things_ again! They are nasty, vile and just plain disgusting…masquerading as vampires when they are nothing more than parasites!" He swallowed his drink down and slammed it on the table next to him.

Bella chewed on her lip and looked down at her hands. She sat like that for a few minutes before she felt Damon plop himself on the bed. She timidly rested her head on the top of her knees.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled sincerely.

He smirked, "And what in the hell would you have to be sorry about? Hmm?"

She peered up at him and smiled wistfully, "I didn't mean to insult you."

He licked his lip and eyed her, "Being compared to a Cold One _is_ rather insulting. I mean, look at this!" he then waved a hand along his form. "There's _no_ comparison. Trust me!"

"A bit full of yourself, aren't you?" she teased.

He chuckled. "How about I finish getting ready and you order some breakfast? He got up and went to a table, picked up a leather-bound menu and tossed it on the bed. "Get whatever you want. It's on me."

"Uh…Don't I need your name?"

He smiled slightly, "Damon Salvatore. Nice to meet you, Isabella." he answered in in a tone that was not quite polite.

"I prefer Bella." she stated meekly.

"And _I_ prefer Isabella! Now, get that breakfast ordered! Chop, chop!"

She scowled as she watched his retreating figure and grabbed the phone on the nightstand. It was then she realized she was dressed in nothing but a black t-shirt. She screeched and anxiously tugged up her shirt, letting out a sigh of relief when she discovered that she still had her panties on.

She sat with the phone in her lap for a few moments, thinking of Damon and the fact he had saved her. He was an actual vampire. The ones she had thought to be vampires were Cold Ones. What did that mean, exactly? Obviously, they were weaker - or maybe Damon was just stronger and faster than your typical vampire? She didn't know. He was sarcastic, had a chip on his shoulder and had the total bad boy act down pat. Yet, he cared enough to save her life…

More and more questions popped into her head, almost making her head spin. She felt sharp jabs of pain as her headache returned. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, hoping to ease it off.

"Headache?" Damon questioned as he walked back into the room, fully dressed head to toe in black.

"Yeah…It feels like a herd of elephants are running through my head." she replied, trying her best not to look at him. To her, he was even better looking clothed and the black attire made his blue eyes stand out even more.

"It's probably from my blood." he stated in a casual tone, making his way towards her.

Her eyes flew open in astonishment as she met his gaze, "Your _blood_?" Her voice raised an octave as she added, "Explain. Now!"

He smirked while he bent over at the foot of the bed, reaching for something. He held up her duffle bag and carelessly dumped it on the bed. "My blood has healing properties."

Bella raised an eyebrow, not quite willing to believe him. "Healing properties?!" she inquired.

"Yep!" Damon responded with a touch of derision.

"You're kidding."

"Nope" he said, popping the 'p' sound. He then sighed, "Our blood can heal humans. But if they die with it in their system, they go into transition. So, it's not often I take my time to heal a human."

Her eyes widened, "And just how long will your blood be in my system, Damon? I don't want to be a vampire."

He tilted his head side to side as if in thought, "Usually, it takes about 24 hours to get out of a human's system; but you - had _a lot_. So, I'd say it'd probably take about a week, give or take…"

She gasped at the thought and looked at him, "Seriously?"

He chuckled, shrugging. " _Seriously_!" he mocked. His mouth formed into yet another smirk, "Here's a tip…don't die! That is, unless you change your mind about the whole undead thing. Otherwise, we'd just have to find a vein for you to tap. Viola! Brand new baby vamp!" He then snapped his fingers while she glared at him.

"How can you be so blasé about dying and living for eternity?" Bella asked, with incredulity in her voice.

He pursed his lips, "Easy! I didn't have much choice in the matter…"

She shook her head and wondered for a moment exactly what his statement meant. She glanced anxiously towards her bag and was rather stunned he had actually went to the truck and retrieved it for her. _More like stole it_ , she thought. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him, but she just knew he wouldn't give any answers, at least not directly.

Damon saw her peeking at the bag and took the phone and the menu from her hands. "Go get a shower and I'll see to breakfast."

She arched her eyebrow at his demand, but said nothing. She got up from the bed, tugging at the ends of the t-shirt to make sure everything was covered.

He snickered, "Oh, stop that! I saw it all last night, sweetheart. Believe me, there's _nothing_ there I haven't seen before!"

She placed her hands on her hips and with a huff of annoyance asked him, "Has anyone ever told you that you're an ass?"

He smiled, "Maybe...once or twice." He then winked cheekily at her.

"Well, you are!" she replied snappishly, deciding to blatantly ignore him while she dug through her bag to get her clothes.

His expression was rather amused as she stomped past him, heading towards the bathroom with her clothes in tow.

Once Damon heard the shower running, he sat on the bed pondering what the hell made him so drawn to her and why the hell he felt the need to save her. The past five years of his life had been meaningless. He had spent most of the time questioning his very existence and there were more than a few times he had the desire to take off his daylight ring and meet the sun. It would be selfish of him, though. Who would be there to look after his baby brother?

Two of those five years were spent wandering around like a vagabond, and had given him too much time to think. The conclusions he came to were mind boggling. The woman he loved - the supposed love of his life, laid inside his family's tomb; due to a magical spell. He had told her he would wait for her and she had simply told him to be happy - to live his life.

He shook his head, thinking on it. One of his many revelations had been that if he had truly loved her, he would have ended the linking spell put upon her and her best friend, Bonnie. All he would have to do was simply just kill the other girl and Elena would wake up. Then, they could have lived a blissful human life for however long it lasted.

But no, he had saved Bonnie's life on more than one occasion since then. For she was one of his best friends, too. The world would be a rather dreary place without the little witch, after all. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Bonnie would be dead if he really loved Elena. The fact that he deemed Bonnie's life much more pertinent spoke volumes to him.

He reflected on the days after he had interred Elena inside the tomb and how they were filled with nothing but death and destruction. Damon couldn't bear the pain of losing her, so he flipped his humanity off and wreaked havoc on his hometown of Mystic Falls. He drained bodies left and right without a second thought. He and his brother fought a deadly war against their very own mother and her little group of Heretics. Witchpires, as he liked to call them. That too, brought on more devastation upon the town and in the end; it nearly destroyed it. The town became a shell of what it once was and when they finally had the evil, little group right where they wanted them, it was he that killed his own mother. Not that he cared at the time, anyway.

It wasn't until a few days later when he walked among the ruins and came across the bloody spot where it all happened that the past events caught up to him. Losing the one he loved, his town, his mother, and another good friend by the name of Enzo hit him like a ton a bricks as he peered down at the reddish spot on the ground. That feeling of desolation, abandonment and aloneness enveloped him and cast a dark shadow on his entire being. Ironically, it was what made him turn the switch back on.

That was two years ago…two years ago since he left Mystic Falls and after almost a hundred and eighty years of being on this earth, he finally faced the equivalent of what most people would call a mid-life crisis. He questioned everything that had happened in his life. He questioned himself and went off in search of something. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he knew there had to be something out there and he was determined to find it.

What he did know was that he liked being who he was and what he was. He accepted his existence and once again reveled in blood, sex and bourbon. He lived for being a vampire and compelling people to bend to his will. He enjoyed the strength, the speed and the agility. He even enjoyed ripping someone's head off if they pissed him off. He could no longer fathom the idea of taking the cure and being human, ever again. That would be the most miserable thing he could think of.

That little revelation made him realize that any romantic relationship with Elena would be doomed to fail. He had promised her before the spell was cast that he would take the cure, and live out a typical human existence. There probably would have been a white picket fence and two kids. He sneered at the very idea. It was never who he was and he only made the promise to please her. Things had changed so much in the past five years, that surely the next fifty or sixty years would change even more dramatically. Damon was a realist and it would be foolish thinking to believe that once the spell broke and Elena woke up, that they could easily pick up where they left off.

Sure, she would be hurt by that fact he no longer loved her and wanted that life; but he was sure she'd get over it quickly and rebuild a new life of her own. What she envisioned for them was something he no longer wanted. While he may have mourned her loss and what could have been and while he will always care for her, he could not say he loved her. Not anymore. That chapter of his life had closed.

He sighed, hearing Isabella shut off the water and grabbed the phone. He quickly dialed the number and placed an order for breakfast. He then got up and stood at the window, looking down on the city below. The girl's name danced in his mind…

He could not deny that she was a true beauty, even with the bad dye job on her head. She had a full, pouty mouth and big brown eyes. Her curves were in all the right places, and from what he saw the night before… her breasts her absolutely perfect. It wasn't just her little neck he would mind noshing on. He smirked at the thought and tossed back the last of his drink.

He glanced at the bag and wondered how long it would take her to figure out he had already been through it. There was a knock at the door and at the sound of clinking glass and a squeaky wheel he guessed it was room service. He opened the door and spied the young woman who stood there in uniform with a cart of food. He smiled devilishly, turning on his inner flirt and took a nice little bite from her neck before compelling her to forget and sending her away.

He had just finished transferring the food from the cart to the table when he heard the door from the bathroom click open.

Bella timidly walked into the room and stood there, taking in the sight of Damon and the table laden with food. She giggled softly as she asked, "Why is it I'm getting a _Pretty Woman_ vibe from all of this?"

He huffed before issuing a retort, "Do _I_ look like I need to hire an escort for a week?" He gestured along his body with a flourish to emphasize his point. His eyes then danced with amusement while he smirked down at the petite brunette.

Bella grinned at his reply before she sat down and grabbed a strawberry from the fruit bowl. She took a bite and nearly choked on it at his next statement.

"Besides, who would fall for a dick of a guy with a name like Edward?"

The strawberry fell from her hand, bounced off her plate and fell to the floor. The very sound of _his_ name sent her for a tailspin. She truly thought she'd gotten over everything and put it behind her. Her heart clenched as she realized that the wounds Edward had left her with would always be there. Not only because he was her first love and cruelly hurt her; but because she would always have an anger and a bitterness in regards to him. It had been his actions that took everything she held dear away from her.

"Isabella… whoo-hoo…Isabella…" Damon called out, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Let me guess, you have a dick of an ex named Edward." he stated with a hint of sarcasm.

She nodded and placed her hands in her lap. The tears started to fall as she thought to the fact everything _was_ behind her. Edward would never come back, Victoria was dead and she could stop running. She was free and could live a life. The only problem was she didn't even know where to start.

"Ok… let's do the whole bonding thing here. Ya know, swap stories and whatnot..." he suggested. "Just don't expect me to paint your toenails…"

She offered him a wan smile and asked him curiously, "Have you ever been in love?"

"Oh, honey… I wrote the fucking book on it and it's not pretty." His expression hardened somewhat as he peered over to her.

She poured herself some coffee and gestured to him, "Please, go on…"

"I've been in love twice…"

He held up two fingers and made sure he had her attention before continuing, "Cliffs Notes version would be this…1864, I met a woman named Katherine. My brother and I both fell in love with her and she got captured and locked in a tomb. When we tried to save her, we got shot by dear old dad for our trouble and died with Katherine's blood in our system."

Bella's eyes widened in shock, "She was a vampire?"

He scoffed, "And a nasty little bitch at that. We transitioned and I spent the next century and a half trying to find a way to free her from the tomb. Well, needless to say...she wasn't there and after a bunch of fun and games, my little brother killed her. She's dead and good riddance. May she rot in hell!"

He then raised his glass in a mock toast as a trace of bitterness laced his features.

Bella had been quietly listening while she picked at her food. She peered up at him, "And the second time?"

"Oh, the second time was with her doppelganger, Elena. She too, in love with my brother. I'll spare you the soap opera on that and tell you that she loved him and shit happened. She eventually fell in love with me; we promised to love each other forever, then some witch named Kai showed up and bonded her life with her best friend by casting a spell. So now she's a sleeping beauty in my family's crypt. At least, until Bonnie - the best friend, kicks the bucket."

She sat quietly, taking in what he said, empathizing with him because he had been toyed with by a vampire very much like she had and it was obvious most of his bitterness was directed towards that. She could understand the pain of being abandoned and losing the one you love. For him, it had happened twice. The thought of his waiting for Elena stabbed at her heart as her own memories came back to the time Edward had callously up and left her.

"So, you're just biding your time, waiting for her to wake up?" she asked with a mix of curiosity and compassion.

He swallowed his food and shook his head, "No. Not anymore. Too much has changed since then. What she wants and what I want are two very different things. At one time, I would have given up my immortality for her, to be her husband, and the father of her kids. But now…I just realize it is not who I am and who I want to be. I _like_ being a vampire. I _like_ ripping people's heads off if they do me wrong. I _like_ being the eternal stud."

Bella snickered, "The eternal stud, huh?" She met his eyes and spoke earnestly, "Someday, you will meet the woman that'll put you out to pasture and you won't look back."

He shrugged, "So you gonna tell me about your white knight?"

She snorted as she stabbed a fork into her pancakes. "He was _no_ white knight, trust me!"

Damon smiled, "So tell me more, tell me more, was it love at first sight?" Bella stuffed a bite of pancake into her mouth to stifle a giggle. She swallowed and resumed her story.

"Not exactly, no. Edward was complicated; moody and sullen one minute, then completely charming the next. He told me he was a vampire, but according to you, he's Cold One…in more ways than one, I might add. I was seventeen when I met him; a very _naïve_ seventeen. I fell for his romantic lines hook, line and sinker. He spouted off words of love and said I was his mate."

She took a bite of her pancakes and a sip of coffee before continuing, "His family accepted me as a part of their own. They were the perfect family I always dreamed of having. His sister Alice was my best friend, his brother Emmett was the big brother I never had. I would have been willing to give up being human in exchange for an eternity with them."

Damon pushed his plate aside, poured a glass of bourbon and nodded, prompting her to continue.

"Everything was perfect until a tracker showed up and hunted me down. He nearly killed me and bit me. That's why Victoria was after me last night. She was the tracker's mate. She wanted revenge…"

Bella pushed her own plate away and grabbed the bourbon bottle, taking a healthy swig, "Edward refused to let me transition when the tracker bit me and sucked the venom out. He didn't believe vampires had souls. After that incident, he almost left me in the hospital; but stupid little me begged him to stay with me."

She swallowed thickly, "We spent a summer in what I thought was the perfect romance, when in actuality; I slowly gave up who I was. Edward dictated what we did, where we would go and when we'd do things. His sister told me what to wear and his parents intoned proper etiquette upon me. It was all so very Victorian and utterly ridiculous."

She leaned back in her chair and looked out the window, "My eighteenth birthday came and that changed everything. His brother, Jasper… lunged for me because I cut my finger opening a gift and Edward pushed me out of the way, causing me to crash into a glass table. I was injured so badly his father had to stitch me up. He was a doctor, if you can believe that…"

"Anyway, Edward ended things with me in the woods behind my house three days later. He told me I wasn't good enough. That was three years ago, now. He said it would be as if he never existed."

She huffed and grabbed the bourbon again and took another drink from it, "The bastard lied. I have the scars to prove it! Victoria killed my mother, my father, my step-father and my best friend!"

"So that's why you were so ready to die." Damon gently interjected.

She shrugged, "Partly! I've been running from her for two years. You can't out run a vampire! I tried!"

"You gave up." he retorted back.

"Yes." she whispered.

"He shouldn't have left you." He bluntly stated.

"Well, he shouldn't have done a lot of things, Damon. But that's all behind me. I'm finally free! For that, I thank you. What you did for me is a debt I can't ever repay. Just know I am grateful and knowing I have a second chance at life is more than I could have ever asked for. I can however, make you a promise that I'll live it to the fullest."

With that, she stood up and went to her bag. She rearranged her things and zipped it up. Her hands were stilled when Damon come up behind her and laid his own upon hers.

"Where do you think you're going, Isabella?" he whispered in her ear.

She turned around to face him and their chests brushed against the other. There seemed to be some sort of electricity in the air between them. She drew in a breath and took in his gaze. Those blue eyes seemed to cast a spell over her and for just a moment, she lost herself in them.

He stared down at her, never breaking contact with her eyes as he fought an urge to kiss her. It had been a very long time since he repressed his urges. The last couple years had been the ultimate return of the lady killer he'd once been. It was usually either screw, bite, compel …or screw, bite and drain them dry. Women were like putty in his hands, with or without compulsion. But he knew that Isabella wasn't that type of girl.

After all she has seen and done, a kiss and a romp between the sheets wouldn't cut it. If he were to be honest… maybe he would like to have more than that himself. The thought tumbled in his mind and he quickly brushed it aside. He broke the gaze and simply asked, "Well?"

"I-I don't know…" she said absently as she took a timid step backwards, nearly tripping and landing on the floor.

Damon braced her fall, then wrapped his hands around her face and met her gaze once more. He had been much too open with her and if she was going to leave, then he wanted to be sure she wouldn't remember his saving her. He wanted to give her something he never had – a clean slate. He could compel her to truly move on, to move forward and go after whatever her heart desired… compel her to live, to love, to be whoever she wanted to be.

He met her eyes and tried his best to get into her head, but something blocked him. An invisible source of some sort that protected her mind. He brushed her cheek and murmured her name. She brought up her hand to his, and in that brief second he could feel a connection with her mind.

He then quickly started the compulsion, "Isabella, you will leave this room. You will forget meeting me. All you will remember is that Victoria is never coming after you again. She's dead. Go live your life to the fullest. Find love and forget the pain Edward caused you…"

The connection broke and Bella looked at him startled, "How exactly can I forget that bitch tried to kill me and the pain Edward caused!? It made me a stronger person! Just what the fuck are you trying to do to me? Huh?"

He sighed as he dropped his hands to the side, "I was trying to help you."

"Help me?!" she asked with a furrowed brow.

"I was compelling you so you'd have a clean slate and be able to go on and live your life. You don't need to remember me or what happened last night! The supernatural world tends to suck you in - pun intended, and once you are in it… you can't get back out! I was giving you a shot at freedom from it. Elena would be living the happy life that she always wanted now if it weren't for the supernatural world. Is it so wrong to spare someone else the grief that comes with it?"

She eyed him with a burning fury, "Yes! It's wrong because it should be my choice to remember the pain, to remember you, to remember every damn thing I went through! It made me who I am today! The choices we make, the things that happen to us shape who we are. It defines our very being! While the world may not always be unicorns and rainbows, we become what we are through experiences that life brings us; the good and the bad. I may miss my family, I may regret ever meeting Edward, but I don't want to forget anything. I want that reminder of the darkness that haunted me, so I know to _never_ go to that place again. I may have wanted to die last night because I thought I had no choice. Now, I see I do! Edward took my choices from me, Victoria took my choices from me and no one will _ever_ do that again! So, keep your little mind trick to yourself!"

He crossed his arms and stared at her, "I don't know whether you are brave or stupid for telling off a vampire..."

"It's neither. It's called having nothing to lose."

Bella glared at him, grabbed her bag and then proceeded to head towards the door. He moved at vampire speed, blocking her path.

"Why didn't the compulsion work?" he demanded.

"How the hell would I know? Maybe it is the same reason Edward couldn't read my mind?" she stated with a hint of both fury and bewilderment. Frankly, I don't care! _Goodbye_ , Damon."

He grabbed her arm. "Do you really think I'll let you go after you know about me, my brother and witchy?"

She blew out a breath, "I've kept secrets this long. What's a few more? Now… let go of my arm."

He nodded and let her walk on out the door as he went straight for the bourbon bottle. His thoughts turned over in his head. Why had he saved the girl? Should he just let her wander off, knowing about this world? He wasn't wrong when he told her that the supernatural world had a way of sucking you in. If it wasn't Victoria that got her…surely another supernatural being would. Probably the dick of an ex would show his face at some point.

No one could simply walk away from someone like her. She was far too interesting for that. He sighed and slammed the glass down on the cart. He promptly decided that she needed a companion and some sort of protection and it just as may well be him. He stuffed his clothes, his blood bags and the bottle of bourbon into a bag, then headed out the door. He compelled the clerk at the desk in the lobby to believe that the room had been paid for and when he walked out the door of the hotel, he spotted her red truck parked just a ways up the street.

Damon strode up to it, then slung his bag in the back of the truck. He turned up his nose, leaning against what he considered a rust bucket to wait for her. He figured she was at the salon nearby and hoped she was fixing that hideous dye job.

It was about an hour or so later when he spotted her walking down the sidewalk. He almost did a double take as he took in her _brown_ , curly hair.

"Oh, fuck." he uttered as memories of both Elena and Katherine came to mind. Just what was it with him and brunettes? Well, at least with Isabella he knew what he was getting up front. She was brutally honest and didn't seem like the type to play games. He would have to be careful not to piss her off, though. It seemed she had quite the temper and would likely stake his ass in a heartbeat. Maybe he'd just keep that little stake-through-the-heart thing to himself…

She approached the truck and eyed him sharply, "What do you want?"

"Well… hello to you, too!" he smarted.

She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, "I was about to hit the road…"

He chuckled, "Yep, I figured you would and I'm coming along for the ride."

"Seriously!?" she questioned.

"Oh yeah! But we're not going in _that_ thing." He jerked his thumb towards the truck behind him.

"And if I _choose_ to allow you to come along, what exactly would we be riding in?"

He pointed up the street to a light blue 1960's Camaro, "See that sweet ride? That's my car."

She blinked and let out a small gasp, "That's your car?"

He smirked, knowing he had won her over, "Wanna go for a _ride_?" he asked with a touch of innuendo behind it. _I'll take you for one_ , he thought.

She snorted derisively, "And what about my truck?"

He shrugged, "Leave it. You said something about second chances. Start all brand new…say goodbye to your past. It can be a symbolic thing…"

"My dad gave me that truck…" she said softly.

"Bella, you have your memories. Those are more important than objects we keep to remember them. The love in your heart and the memories in that pretty little head of yours will live on. Besides, the truck is on its last legs by the looks of it. Start with a clean slate… _truly_ move on."

She looked at him in thought for a moment before she let out a breath and simply said, "OK."

He cocked his head to the side and winked. He then grabbed his bag from the back of the truck.

She shook her head and scoffed, "You were pretty sure of yourself, weren't you?"

Damon chuckled, "Yep. Even if you said no; I can be very persuasive…"

Bella sighed, "Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

She opened the door to her truck and retrieved her bag and other Items. She found herself a tad stunned when he took the bag from her. She would have never expected such a gentlemanly gesture from him. She found herself not only attracted to the blue-eyed vampire, but she found herself actually liking him.

They quickly walked to his car and if she was to be honest… she absolutely loved it. However, she wasn't about to admit it out loud. Damon's ego seemed to be big enough as it was. He tossed the bags in the trunk and opened her door for her. Once more, she was taken aback by the gesture. A gentleman and most likely, a killer. Who knew? That only left her to wonder what else there was to him besides the whole bad boy act, the broken heart, and the sarcastic humor. She was more than willing to find out.

She laughed as he started the car and the end of Meatloaf's _Bat Out of Hell_ came on the radio.

She subconsciously bobbed her head to the music and started singing the lyrics under her breath. He grinned at her, "So, is this gonna be our theme song?"

She turned her head towards him and giggled. "Maybe?"

He chuckled and stepped on the gas, peeling out of town. Bella settled in her seat and watched the world whiz by. She didn't know what the journey ahead would bring, but she was grateful to have a second chance.


	2. Part Two: All That She Wants

**Author's Note: Just a friendly reminder that I do not own _Twilight_ or _The Vampire Diaries._ Please remember that it is alternate universe and will not follow any of the canon timelines. I hope you enjoy reading and please, leave a comment/review and let me know what you think. Thanks! Now, on with the show…..**

Damon and Bella sped along the interstate in his Camaro and a few hours later they found themselves in the city of Atlanta. She was surprised at just how quickly the time seemed to fly by. Damon was good at carrying on a conversation; for he knew when to keep talking and when to listen. There were times the conversation stalled; then he'd simply turn up the radio while they rode along in comfortable silence.

Bella knew her never ending questions about his kind of vampire irked him, but he'd answer them with short and snippy responses, anyway. He was openly honest with her, to which she found refreshing. The Cold Ones she once knew were never forthright with her. No, they always danced around the edge of the truth, twisting the facts and molding them to what they wanted her to perceive as truth. They had her believing they were vampires, but the biggest lie of them all was that they actually cared for her.

The tribe of shapeshifters were never too keen on giving her details as they hunted for Victoria. All she ever heard was, "We'll protect you, Bella." As much as she loved Jacob, looking back on every conversation she ever had with him, she surmised that he never was totally honest with her, either. Blatant honesty, good or bad was far better than any sugar-coated lie – she respected that and found that in Damon.

Sure, he was also intimidating, sarcastic and at times, downright crude. Yet, he could be flirty, charming and insightful. She found him to be rather intelligent, even though one would never guess by looking at him dressed in the dark clothing he wore, or by seeing the deadly glimmer that flickered in his eyes every now and then.

The two of them chatted, asking each other the typical getting-to-know-you questions that sort of reminded her of when Edward had first picked her up from school. While Edward's answers had been predictable and boring, Damon's were pleasantly surprising. _The Call of the Wild_ and _Gone with the Wind_ were his favorite books. He liked punk and old-school rock for music. His favorite decade was the seventies and he absolutely loved horror movies. In fact, he found them ridiculously funny. _Of course he would_ , she had thought at the time. She guessed that his killings were probably far more gruesome than any horror movie could portray.

He didn't mock her taste for the written word as Edward once did when she professed her fondness for books by Emily Bronte or Jane Austen. He just casually mentioned that his brother loved _Wuthering Heights,_ as well. He said not a word as she told him how much she enjoyed William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. It had made her smile when he told her that he enjoyed Shakespeare, too. While she adored _Romeo and Juliet_ and _A Midsummer Night's_ _Dream_ , he was more partial to _Hamlet_ , or _Macbeth_.

Damon had chuckled when Bella admitted to liking the band Maroon V and teased her that it was because of the lead singer, Adam Levine. "Well, he is cute!" she had retorted. He seemed to like the fact she had an eclectic taste in music; especially when she revealed that she enjoyed both classical and heavy metal. A grin had spread across his face when she told him of her secret love for Metallica.

He also made some snarky comment about how glad he was that she wasn't into Taylor Swift – he outright laughed when she told him that she thought Taylor's music was far too depressing. He simply nodded in agreement as they sped along the Interstate. Bella didn't miss the mirth that danced in his eyes; she could tell he was biting back a smirk.

During their journey, she found herself comfortable enough with him to elaborate on the darker parts of her life, to which he mostly kept quiet with a thoughtful mien to his face. He did make a couple of snide quips about the Cullens and Victoria, though. A comment that stuck out the most was when he told her, "He didn't deserve you."

Damon had caught her completely off guard with his obvious sincerity. She didn't know what to say, other than to whisper a "Thank you."

Bella found his story far more intriguing than her own. He had loved one woman for a hundred and fifty years and was completely devoted to her. He did everything he could to free Katherine from a tomb that he believed she had been imprisoned. He stopped at nothing to reach his goal; even if it meant leaving a very bloody trail in his path to free her. She knew it was wrong but she truly admired him for the lengths he went to. That was love at its finest – the kind where you risk everything for that one person you loved more than anything.

Her heart ached as he mentioned the time he was captured during the 1950's by a group of doctors who experimented on him and his friend, Enzo. They would remove organs, take his blood, starve him and put his body to the test… all in the name of science. She thought the whole situation to be macabre and disturbing. A weaker person, or in this case, a vampire – would have surrendered his will and ran scared once he was free. That wasn't the case with Damon. In fact, he sought revenge… killing every last one of them and their progeny. She was angry on his behalf and thought it to be justified. Karma is the ultimate bitch – she wished for a moment that Edward and his family would suffer just a small glimpse of the hell she had been put through.

When he spoke of Elena, she had no doubt that the girl had been the true love of his life. From what he told her, she thought briefly that she would have fell in love with the girl, too. Damon had described her as beautiful, compassionate and how she wanted to make the world a better place. Who _wouldn't_ fall in love with that? But then again, Bella had the distinct impression that he wasn't painting the full picture. She was an exact carbon copy of Katherine physically and as she read between the lines of his story, she could tell that like Katherine; she had played the two Salvatore brothers to a certain extent. Maybe not on purpose, or with malicious intent, but it was obvious she had.

When he got to the part of telling her how Elena was put in her magical coma, Bella's eyes misted over with tears. Damon just cut her a sideways glance and continued on, re-counting in detail how he lopped Kai's head off to save Bonnie. He went on to reveal that he had saved the witch twice since then and it was what made him realize that it wasn't Elena he truly wanted. For if he had genuinely wanted that happy, human life… he would have simply let Bonnie die. He admitted to being selfish and he told Bella that he often went with his gut instinct. That same instinct always told him to save the witch instead of letting her die. Thus, Elena would remain sleeping until Bonnie did leave this world.

He told her of the time he flipped the switch and wreaked havoc on his hometown. What was left of it was nearly destroyed by his mother's coven of witchpires. They decimated the town and once he and his friends finally destroyed the coven, he killed his very own mother. He told her it was shortly after that he turned his humanity switch back on. He hastily resumed on with his story before she could interrupt and explained that every emotion he had turned off flooded within him. It was much too much to deal with – so he packed up, left town and begun to question everything that had ever happened in his long existence. Some answers he found, but some he didn't. He joked for her not to worry; that he wasn't a brooder. He admitted that he was more of a dreamer and hoped that there was more out there for him than what he had already experienced during his existence.

She had tossed a sardonic look his way and retorted, "Seek and you shall find."

He rolled his eyes and replied sarcastically, "Oh, _please_ tell me you're not a Bible thumper…"

She laughed at the memory while she got out of the Camaro and reached into her purse, pulling out her pack of Marlboro Lights and a lighter. She stuck a cigarette in her mouth and lit it up, inhaling deeply. Damon had been getting the bags out the trunk and cut her a look with his eyebrow arched. He tossed his keys to the valet, handed the bags to a bellhop and made his way over.

"You know… those things will kill you." he said as he took the cigarette from her mouth. He then sauntered away and went to stand against the wall of the hotel with his foot propped up against it. He caught her eyes and smirked as he brought the cigarette to his mouth and took a long drag off it. He blew out the smoke and Bella thought it was the sexist thing she ever saw.

She quickly walked over to him, took out another cigarette from the pack, lit it up and took a drag. "So, it's okay for you to smoke and not me?" she asked in a teasing tone that had just a hint of irritation to it.

He stood there and tilted his head as if in thought before he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "In case you missed it… I'm already _dead_."

She closed her eyes and shivered at the sound of his voice. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the vampire and with a very smug smile, he leaned back against the wall. He winked as he flicked the ashes onto the ground.

Once they finished their cigarettes, they made their way towards the entrance. Passing a trashcan, he abruptly turned around.

"Hand 'em over." he demanded, holding his hand out to her.

She was confused as to what he was referring to, and looked at him quizzically.

"The cancer sticks…hand 'em over!"

She furrowed her brows, dug through her purse and once she retrieved them, she placed them in his palm. He promptly threw them in the trash, then jaunted off into the hotel.

She followed him with a scowl marring her features. He haughtily ignored her when she let out an exasperated growl, walking to the front desk. There he asked for a suite and when Bella went to request a room, he shook his head no. She then made a protest and he quickly explained that the suites had sofa beds and she could have the bedroom. Already knowing it would be useless to argue, she relented.

When they reached their suite, she told him the reason behind her smoking to which he quipped, "Nice thinking… for a human. But cigarette smoke doesn't completely mask your scent."

She went on to tell him she changed her diet as well, becoming a vegetarian. He scoffed and made some snarky remark about getting a cheeseburger for her next meal.

Then he went on to tell her that he didn't save her life so she could fuck up her second chance by getting cancer and eating lettuce. "It's a clean slate…you can do whatever the hell you want!"

"Yeah – anything but smoke, apparently." she huffed out.

He sighed and rolled his eyes as he answered the door for the bellhop.

When she later complained about the price of the hotel and offered to split the expenses, he hastily shushed her, telling her not to worry about it – he would gladly pay for it. His voice left no room for argument. Especially when he told her, "Just live life, enjoy it. Don't be so damn uptight and stubborn."

She grumbled at his words but graciously thanked him, to which he grinned mischievously, "I'll teach you how to live… I mean, _really_ live. We'll be the life of the party!"

Bella had simply snorted, "A _dead_ person teaching me how to live…insert the irony there."

* * *

Two months went by and they found themselves taking the city by storm. They did the touristy things – they went clubbing, they went to museums, they went out to dinner and they even went to the movies a few times. Damon felt proud as he witnessed her guard slowly ebb away, becoming alive and free. Isabella had truly embraced her opportunity at a second chance with her life.

Her skin glowed with radiance, there was a twinkle in her eye and she would laugh and smile more often. He thought her smart, funny and beautiful. As they spent more time together, her sarcastic side started revealing itself and oftentimes it would actually make him grin like a fool.

She had remarked that she was once very clumsy, but he could see absolutely no traces of it in the woman that he had become to know. The shy, clumsy girl she had once described herself as no longer existed.

He loved seeing the attention she would draw from other men whenever they went to the clubs, knowing for a fact that she would turn them down. The girl wasn't exactly a flirt, but she was one of those women that were naturally sexy without even trying to be. There was an undeniable aura about Isabella that drew people in and the unfortunate bastards that encountered her never had a chance. Of course, she was always polite and would give them coy glances, along with a sweet smile. At least, to the ones she actually liked. Those that she didn't…well, they ended up with a knee to the groin. She was a feisty little thing and he liked that about her.

Besides, he knew of her innocence. The poor woman had never made it past first base and he knew she wouldn't give it up for just any Joe Blow that hit on her. Even though she'd never admit it – she wanted love and she wanted everything short of "putting a ring on it."

He had chuckled on her views of marriage at first, then after thinking on it, he tended to agree with her. Who needed rings and a piece of paper to cement a relationship? As she once said, "If I find love, that's all I need. I don't need a ring, I don't need a marriage and I raised my parents. So, I don't really see the need to raise children. I don't want the house in the suburbs or a mini-van. I want to live life and see where it takes me."

Damon had teased Isabella about not wanting a fairy tale like most young women. She just retorted back to him fairy tales were for children and that she'd never need a white knight in shining armor. All she wanted was something real.

The funny thing was…he did too. Only he never openly admitted that to her.

It was one of those clubbing nights for them and while Isabella made a bathroom run, he scanned the area for a snack. He smirked when he saw a very petty lady at the bar, deciding that night was a good night to get lucky. For him, there was nothing like a little blood, booze and some sex. He caught the woman's eye and winked, making his way towards her.

 _She's not the one you really want_ …

The thought came unbidden to him, but he shrugged it off and started hitting on woman anyway, winning her over with his charm. Mere minutes later she was completely enthralled by him and paid no mind to the hand that casually rested on her ass while he flirted away. Just as he was about to compel her to join him in the alley, he felt someone staring at him. When he looked up, he met a pair of chocolate brown eyes glaring at him furiously.

She scowled at him, then angrily turned her heel and stomped off after realizing she'd been spotted. Damon quickly brushed aside the small sense of guilt that had risen up in his chest, causing a heaviness to settle there. He and Isabella were _just friends_ , weren't they? He then turned his attention to the woman and compelled her to dance with him.

Bella had marched her way to the bar with one goal in mind – to get drunk and forget about what she had seen between Damon and the blonde bimbo. It was her twenty-first birthday, after all. She reasoned that this would just be another birthday from hell. Bella knew she was jealous, but had no cause to be; for her and Damon were only friends. Although, she had fleeting thoughts every now and then that perhaps there was something more than just friendship brewing between them. Their suite had a bedroom and a sofa bed, but more often than not, they spent their nights snuggled side by side on said sofa watching movies or some TV shows. She would always end up falling asleep, only to wake up in the mornings with his arms wrapped around her and their legs tangled together. If she were to be completely honest – there was nothing more she liked better than waking up to his musky scent and sparkling blue eyes.

He would often offer his arm or take her hand whenever they walked about the city on one of the days in which they played tourist. He would unconsciously fiddle with her hair on occasion, tucking a strand behind her ear, or running his hand through it. She considered those actions more than what a friend would do. Those were things a man did to show that he cared; that he was genuinely interested and wanted more. She felt stupid for believing that notion as she ordered two vodka shots and chased them down.

She didn't know exactly what it was between them. However, she thought there was _something_. She sighed bitterly as she ordered another vodka shot. She felt like the world's biggest idiot. Why would someone like Damon Salvatore want _her_ , anyway?

By her fifth vodka shot, she had a good buzz going and turned around to face the dance floor, her eyes scoping it out, watching the people move to the music. Some of them were brazen in their movements, even making out of the floor. Bella squeezed her eyes shut for one second out of jealously. _She'd never have that_ , she thought. She was about to turn around and order a drink when she spotted Damon dancing with the girl she had seen with him earlier. They were in a darker corner on the floor but she could see his mouth planted on her neck.

A flashing light passed over them and she noticed a small trickle of blood oozing down the girl's bare shoulder. She stood mesmerized, watching him feed. A second light flashed and as if he could sense her staring, his eyes met hers while he continued to drink. Any other normal person would have turned their head in disgust. Hell, she should have turned her head, but the look in his eyes were like a beacon, calling her to him. She stood transfixed on the spot and watched as he pulled the girl closer to him. The lights flashed over them once more just as he moved away from her, sensually licking his lips as he kept his eyes locked on Bella. The predatory look in his eyes made heart stutter while her stomach bottomed out. It was then she felt a wetness pool between her legs. _Oh, my God_ she thought. She breathed heavily as she gaped at him, realizing that the whole scene had aroused her.

He was first to break the eye contact as he went to compel the girl to go about her merry way. Bella – slightly horrified at her reaction, turned back to the bar and immediately hit up the bartender for another vodka shot. She closed her eyes, letting the buzz from the alcohol sink in. She couldn't let him know the effect he had on her.

Damon slinked up to her and ran a hand up and down her arm. Her eyes instantly flew open and faced him, only to see him smirking. She gripped the edge of the bar and took a sharp breath.

"Did you enjoy the show, sweet Isabella?" he asked salaciously.

Coming to her senses and turned off by his cocky demeanor, she scoffed. "Is that all it was to you? _A show?!"_

"I _know_ you liked it…" he replied huskily.

She shook her head in denial, "There are better ways to get my attention, Damon. You don't have to show of what a bad ass, sexy vamp you are…"

She stomped away from him, making her way to the entrance. She hated the fact that he knew how he had affected her. She was embarrassed by the fact that she did "enjoy the show," as he so crudely put it. She was mortified as she realized just how much the whole scene had turned her on. Why couldn't she just be a _normal_ girl? It didn't help that Damon was ridiculously good looking and those eyes…they were so fucking blue! She could hear the silky, seductive tone of his voice echoing in her ears and it was awakening feelings within her she thought were long gone. Hell, even in all his perfect inhuman glory, Edward Cullen never once made her feel like she did at that moment. Her body felt like a damn furnace! She felt an unfamiliar ache between her legs and for once in her life, she was sexually frustrated. Sure, the desire for sex was there with Edward, but this was something else altogether. It was a primal _need_. Then she felt a twinge of jealously, wishing for one brief moment that it had been her neck Damon had his lips pressed to.

She ran her hands through her hair and tugged at it while she exited the building. The cool air of the night washed over her heated cheeks and she inhaled a deep breath to calm herself down. She took in the twinkling lights of the city as she did so to clear her head.

A few minutes later, she stood on sidewalk, desperately trying to hail a cab when a figure approached her. She turned her head and saw that it was a very attractive man. He was tall and impeccably dressed – classically handsome with a strong jawline, blond hair and green eyes. Handsome would not exactly be the right word to describe him. _Beautiful_ , she thought and instantly she sensed that he wasn't human. An ominous feeling washed over her as she peered up at him.

His eyes glittered dangerously as he looked down on her. "Hello." he said in greeting, each syllable enunciated slowly and perfectly in an accent she couldn't place. She nodded politely, but did not return the greeting verbally. Her instincts told her to run and she quickly turned around to head back into the club when the man tightly grasped her arm. "Surely, you'd much prefer my company in comparison to what goes on in that establishment."

"Let me go." she spoke lowly, with a hint of threat.

He smiled malevolently, "That I cannot do." His eyes widened and his pupils dilated as he met her gaze. "You shall join me for a walk."

She nodded mutely, realizing that he was attempting to compel her. She knew that it would be safer if she kept up the charade, for she feared that he'd do much worse if he discovered she couldn't be compelled. She allowed the vampire to guide her up the side walk as fright welled up inside her chest. Her thoughts went to the ice-blue blue eyes of the one that had saved her life once before, but more importantly…he had taught her to live.

"Damon…" she softly called out. She hoped against hope that somehow he would hear her over the music in the club.

"The name is not Damon, my dear." the vampire spoke, his tone filled with arrogance, "I highly doubt your companion could save you." He gently gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him, "Now, please. Be quiet."

The terror she felt was overwhelming. She didn't want to die. Not now…not when she was finally had life to live. Not when she had Damon…

His name echoed in Bella's mind as the vampire led her to an abandoned building down the street, then pulled her under a canopy that once served as the building's entrance.

"You smell divine." he whispered. "I shall enjoy partaking your blood tonight."

Even through her fear, she found it ironic that it had only been moments ago when she briefly wished to be in Damon's arms as he drank from her. She found it strange just how long ago it seemed that Victoria was after her and how easily she surrendered to the idea of death. She was frantically trying to think of a way out when the vampire pushed her against the brick wall of the building.

He brushed her face gently with the back of his fingers. "Look at me, my dear." he commanded.

Her blood ran cold as she did what he asked. His pupils dilated as he told her, "You will not move, you will not scream."

She stood motionless, playing her little game of being compelled as she silently prayed he wouldn't kill her and that Damon would come.

The vampire bent his head to her and she felt his fangs pierce her neck. It wasn't as painful as she had anticipated it to be, but painful nonetheless. It burned while the vampire sucked the blood from the two small puncture wounds. A few minutes passed as she felt her vision blur and her knees buckle. The vampire caught her in his arms and continued drinking. Truly believing that Damon wouldn't come, she accepted death, closing her eyes as she pictured his face. That was the last thing she wanted to see in her mind.

Suddenly, she heard a swish and the vampire fell before her with a stake in his back. She lost her balance and fell forward just as her savior caught her.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Damon." she murmured reverently. "You saved me."

He ran his fingers through her hair, "I'll always save you, Isabella. _Always_."

"Thank you." she whispered weakly before she passed out.

He hurriedly picked her up and kicked the glass to the door of the building, carrying her inside and then gently laying her on the floor. He went back outside to grab the vampire, thankful there were no witnesses.

He dragged the body through what was once a lobby and into some sort of office. He was so angry he roughly yanked the stake out of the vamp that dared to drink from Isabella. In a fury, he stabbed at the corpse again and again. Blood splattered the walls, painting them red. If that wasn't enough to abate his anger, Damon dug into the chest cavity of the vampire and ripped his heart out. He squeezed it until it burst and blood spluttered all over his face and coated his hands.

He had been angry at himself when she walked away from the bar. If he was truthful – he hadn't planned on her bearing witness to him feeding on the girl. But when he caught sight of her staring at him, heard the stutter of her heart, and the scent of her arousal; he just couldn't resist being a bit of a tease, especially when he licked his lips. He wanted to know what she'd do. He had a bout of wishful thinking that she would've simply given in to the feelings he saw in her eyes and admit there was an attraction between them. It wasn't like he'd take her to bed right away… _that_ she wouldn't be ready for. He had approached her at the bar in hopes of using his charms on her, for he much rather have a little fun with her than the bimbo he'd been snacking on. His cockiness came on a tad too strong, though. That had made her furious and when she walked away, he felt like the world's biggest jackass. He should have known better than to try and play such a game with Isabella. She wasn't like other women who would easily bend to his will.

Damon had been at the bar drinking a bourbon when he heard her call his name. He then hurriedly moved through the crowd to get outside. He would have rather moved with his supernatural speed, but there were too many people and there was no need to attract undue attention. By the time he reached the door, he saw a vampire with Isabella some ways down the street. He had hissed lowly when he heard the vamp's fangs slice through her throat. He stealthily disappeared into an alleyway and jumped onto the rooftop, then leapt from building to building as soundlessly as he could. He didn't want the vamp to hear his approach. He had reached into his jacket and pulled out a stake before soaring down to the ground. He silently landed behind the vamp and with no hesitation, rammed the stake into the vampire's back. Damon shoved the stake once more and it pierced the vampire's heart. The body slumped to the ground just as Isabella fell into his arms. He had taken a breath of relief at the fact he had gotten there in time…

He came out of his reverie, then took in the sight of the blood splattered walls. Feeling satisfied the son of a bitch was dead, he made his way back to Isabella. He swiped the tarp the covered the counter in the lobby and used it to wipe his face and hands before he situated himself next to her. He gently caressed her cheek and once those brown eyes of hers opened, he bit into his wrist.

"Drink." he ordered softly.

"Damon-" she weakly protested.

"Drink it!" he demanded, offering his bloody wrist.

She shrank back at his tone, eyeing him warily before she gingerly took the proffered wrist, then suckled gently at the wound he'd made there. She drank a few sips and when she felt her strength coming back, she brushed his wrist aside and sat up.

Once Damon was sure she was okay, he instructed her to wait there as he went to set the scene for an electrical fire. During his life as a vampire, he had learned that it was paramount to cover your tracks – or else get caught. He had a knack for doing such things and was quite masterful when it came to creating a cover-up. You didn't live as long as he did unless you were smart. And he'd like to think of himself as being rather clever.

He helped Bella up and rushed her out of the building. Once they were safely in his Camaro, she saw the smoke in the air coming from the abandoned structure. "Are you trying to burn Atlanta, Damon?" she asked sarcastically.

He cocked his head to the side. "Wouldn't be the first time…" he retorted, his lips twitching with amusement.

She snapped her head to him, " _Please_ tell me you're kidding!"

He chuckled, "Google the city's history and look at the 1920's…"

She scoffed, "I can't believe you!"

He tossed her a look and put the car in gear.

They went back to the hotel and when she walked in, she was stunned by what was sitting on the table. A simple arrangement of daisies, a box of chocolate cupcakes, and a bottle of her favorite rose wine were out on display. She slowly walked over to the table and picked up a card that was in the flower arrangement. She softly read the neat, spiky script out loud, "Happy Birthday." Then, her heart fluttered as she noted that he had signed it, "Love, Damon." She looked over to him and smiled broadly.

"You knew it was my birthday?" she questioned.

He smirked, "I was trying to keep it low-key and just give you a night on the town. I never intended to be a dick or have some vamp chomp on you."

"H-how did you know?"

He grinned, "Well, I may have took a peek at your driver's license…"

She playfully scowled at him. "Why should that even surprise me?" she muttered.

Bella then turned and faced him, "Regardless of what happened at the club and afterwards, _thank you_." She then stood on her tip toes, tenderly planting a kiss on his cheek.

He stood stunned for a minute before he moved past her and opened the box of cupcakes, "You going to help me eat these?"

"Who said that _you_ could have any?" she teased.

The rest of the night had been the low-key affair Damon had planned it to be. They chatted, finished off the bottle of wine and just enjoyed each other's company. When they settled down in the wee hours of the morning, he pulled out a DVD of _Pretty Woman_ , to which she grinned. It reminded her of the morning she woke up in Savannah and the conversation they had over breakfast.

Bella didn't get to see much of the movie. Her eyes became heavy and she had just snuggled up to Damon during the scene in which Edward Lewis had presented Vivian Ward with the ruby and diamond necklace. The music from the soundtrack played in her ears as she dozed off.

 _I can't believe it, you're a dream comin' true. I can't believe how I have fallen for you._

The last thought she had before sleep completely overtook her was that she had indeed fallen for Damon Salvatore.

* * *

They spent a couple more months in Atlanta before Damon received a phone call from his brother, Stefan. Mystic Falls was holding a celebration in honor of the town's restoration. It was to be held on Founders Day. The ball would be the conclusion of week-long festivities. Stefan practically begged his brother to be there.

Damon thought it ironic that either Salvatore be there, considering _he_ caused at least half of the town's destruction. What was left got wiped out by his mother, Lily and her little band of witchpires. Stefan convinced him that being a Founding Family member was a legacy and they should carry it with honor – that even though their presence may have brought mayhem, they had both played a part in saving Mystic Falls. He strongly believed that the two of them deserved to be there just as much as anyone else.

Their contact with each other had been rather sporadic since he left town, but Stefan did know about Isabella and suggested he bring her along. Damon was hesitant on that, unsure if he could face his past with her by his side. He had bid goodbye to his painful memories and to Elena so long ago. Could he actually face it, again? He pondered over what the kids and Ric would think of Isabella. They may scrutinize her and proclaim her a replacement for Elena…or they might possibly see her for the treasure that she is.

"I would like to meet her." Stefan had remarked. Those words sealed the deal and he finally agreed to come to Mystic Falls for the festivities, with Isabella in tow.

He had discussed it with her, and she was more than willing to go with him. So, they packed their bags and headed to Virginia. They had yet a month or so before Founders Day and she had suggested taking the scenic route to do some sight-seeing. He reluctantly agreed, and they found themselves in Yorktown, Virginia. There they explored one of the first settlements of the original thirteen colonies, saw Indian artifacts and the place where the British surrendered during the Revolutionary War. He found himself bored out of his mind, but Bella reveled in learning the nation's history up close and personal. _Jesus, she'll have me visiting the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia next,_ he thought.

Next, they visited Colonial Williamsburg – where he made fun of the powdered wigs and the tights that the men in costume wore. He scoffed at the basket weaving demonstration and snorted when they did some sort of reenactment.

"Why can't they just tell history like it was?" he grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked nonchalantly.

"Well…Thomas Jefferson diddled his slaves and a lightning rod wasn't the only rod Ben Franklin played with…." He bored into her eyes, hoping she'd get the play on words.

She gave a look of pure disgust, then angrily marched off down the street. He rolled his eyes and easily caught up to her. Once he did so, she glared at him and hissed out, "You are such an ass!"

He just snickered, "Oh _please_ …tell me something I don't already know!"

She flounced off and finished the rest of the tour on her own while he decided to go back the little bungalow they rented at a nearby resort.

Damon had nursed on a few bottles of bourbon by the time she got back and had a slight buzz going. He cracked one eye open as he heard the keys jingle in the door's lock, along the soft click of it opening. He watched Bella as she stomped right past him towards the kitchenette.

She stood before him a few minutes later with a blood bag in her hand. She threw it into his lap and placed her hands on her hips, "Drink that! We are going out…clubbing or something."

He cocked a brow, "Oh we are, are we?" he smartly asked.

"Yep!" she replied sharply. "You're moody, you're bored, and probably need to tap a vein."

He blew out a breath. "It _has_ been awhile…" he uttered affirmatively.

She nodded just as he asked, "Why don't you offer me a vein?"

He smirked upon her as heard her heart stutter. She inhaled a nervous breath before speaking, "One, we are _friends_." She said the word as if it left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Two, I'm more than just a walking blood bag for you to sip on."

He peered up at her and simply said, "You got that right."

That would be as close he would get to admitting how he felt towards her – at least for now. Timing is everything, and as much as he wanted to make her his, he knew it was better to wait for the right moment.

"Drink your little 'juice box'. I'm going to go get ready." With that, she made her way towards the bathroom.

His eyes followed her movements and he got up, with his blood bag in hand to get ready for the night. He stood at the threshold of the bedroom and glanced upon the bed, inhaling the heavy mixture of their scents that perfumed the air.

Yes, they shared the bedroom now. To his surprise, it hadn't took much convincing and as much as he put on a bad-ass front; he was man that did not like to sleep alone. He liked the companionship next to him… someone to share that bed with and there was no one else he wanted next to him than his Isabella. Someday though, he had plans for the use of the bed other than sleeping. He smirked at the thought as he sucked the blood bag dry, then tossed it in the trash.

Two hours later, they were cruising along Interstate and found themselves in Richmond, Virginia. They rode around until they spotted an upscale club. Damon pulled up to the front and handed the keys to the valet. His eyes glinted dangerously as he told the kid there better not be one tiny scratch on the car when he got it back. He chuckled as the teenager paled. He then observed the boy as he entered the car and carefully parked it before offering Bella his arm and leading her towards the entrance.

She had paid no mind to his antics, for she was nervous because of the outfit she wore and the way Damon kept glancing at her approvingly. She had chosen a black dress that had a fitted bodice and spaghetti straps that emphasized her cleavage. The skirt was short, but flowy as it grazed her thighs. She wondered if it was too slutty. She never wanted to be the girl at a club that looked like she was on the prowl for an easy lay.

The dress had been bought by Damon on a shopping trip when they first arrived in Williamsburg. With the upcoming ball and Founder's Day activities looming on the horizon, he had suggested a day of shopping to supplement her wardrobe. He warned her about his brother's girlfriend, Caroline. He stressed how neurotic she was when it came to event planning and how she would want everyone looking their best. The comment instantly brought forth the image of Alice Cullen – thus making her even more wary of meeting the girl he spoke of.

Normally, she dreaded shopping, even more so after she had been forcefully dragged shop to shop by an overzealous Alice on more than one occasion. The shopping trip with Damon was quite different, though. She found herself actually having fun as they spent the day exchanging witty banter back and forth. She found that he was a finicky shopper, paying more attention how something would look and feel rather than the designer label it bore. Though, he did have a preference for John Varvatos. He took his time strolling through the shops at a leisurely pace Bella could keep up with.

He had insisted that he pay for everything she needed, since she would be his guest for the Founder's Day events. Knowing that it would be a waste of time to argue with him, she allowed him to. He watched her carefully as she perused the racks, never uttering a word. She bought some basics – jeans, chinos, flowy blouses and her favorite tank tops. Damon would pick up a few pieces on his own for her; a couple of black dresses, some short shorts and a few well-fitted button downs. He did not force his choices on her as Alice once did, but he would seek her approval before he bought them. He had impeccable taste and she was always pleased with his selections.

Formal wear was an absolute nightmare for her. Bella found herself completely lost and overwhelmed as she went from place to place in an attempt to find a gown for the Founder's ball. After a couple hours of searching and on the verge of a panic attack, he took pity on poor girl. Damon had enveloped her in a hug, simply telling her he would take care of it. He then soothed her nerves while stroking her hair. She remembered hearing the smirk in his voice as he mentioned that he would buy something red and that she would be "hot."

Bella's best memory of that day was seeing Damon get fitted for a tuxedo. She always found him sexy in whatever he wore, but something about him in a tux amped it up. He had caught her gaping and winked while he tried on a pair of cufflinks.

She had felt her cheeks warm up and playfully retorted, "Hurry up, Bond."

She grinned at the memory while she timidly fiddled with the hem of her skirt. They had been to clubs many times before, but nothing quite like the one they were about to enter and some of her old insecurities flared up. Bella wondered if she'd truly fit in. Damon gently nudged her with his shoulder as he peered down at her. She saw how his baby blues glistened in the moonlight and briefly lost her train of thought as she took in the rest of him. He had dressed in his black leather pants, black button down shirt, and boots. For once in her life, she truly understood the meaning of 'sex on legs.' He smirked knowingly as his eyes flickered over her form.

Holding his hand out for her to take, he quipped, "Come on, my little Kitten. It's time to teach you how to really play." The tone in his voice indicated that she might not be ready for the type of play he had in mind. She shivered slightly as she glanced up at him and quietly placed her hand in his, gasping sharply at his words while her cheeks tinted red. He had chuckled, squeezing her hand and led them into the club.

Once inside, Bella looked around the place and felt like she walked into another world. Not only because the club was huge with two stories and three dance floors, but it was like she felt a physical shift in her and Damon's relationship. There had been an undercurrent of something more than just friendship lingering between them ever since the night of her birthday. She, of course would never make a move. She was much too shy for that. She wondered if Damon himself had just upped the ante. Her mind swirled around her thoughts as he dragged her to the nearest bar.

He eyed her curiously as they waited for the bartender to take notice of them. He smirked as he leaned towards her and spoke softly in her ear, "You thinking about all the things I could teach you?"

She blushed deeply while he gave her a flirtatious wink, "First things first, just let go…enjoy the ride." His eyes then trailed approvingly from the top of her head to the tips of her toes then back to her face, "And what a fun ride it will be…"

She would've given anything to have a cigarette right then and there, even if it were to calm her nerves. No man had ever spoke to her in such a seductive manner before and it made her whole body tingle. Sure, she was used to corny one liners and the cat calls she got when she worked at Sonny's and she had gotten quite used Damon's innuendo and sarcastic humor. But… never once had he brazenly _flirted_ with her before. Her heart sped up and she knew deep down that if he was upping the ante, then she better play a long and prove to him that she could handle it.

She ordered a White Russian from the bartender and once it was placed in front of her, she snatched it up, swigged it down and then slammed the empty glass on the bar. "Hit me, again." she told the bartender. She had a feeling she was going to need the liquid courage. Damon smiled lasciviously and cocked a brow at her. "There ya go, Kitten. You got the right idea…"

She grabbed the drink from the bartender as he approached her with it and guzzled it down, a slight buzz hitting her halfway through. She placed the glass on the bar and grabbed her vampire's hand, "Let's dance." she practically demanded.

"As you wish…" he countered, to which she rolled her eyes.

She briefly thought back to the days when she worked at Sonny's club in Miami and recalled the more provocative dance moves she'd seen; wondering if she could replicate them. As she came to find out, she didn't need to. Damon had grabbed her waist and showed her some of his own moves. They danced to quite a few songs before taking a break and moving to the other bar – where the DJ seemed to be doing a 1990's throwback with the music that was playing. "Whatta Man" blared loudly from the sound system and she couldn't help but think of the man-slash-vampire before her.

He handed Bella some type of drink and she drank it down, then another as they chatted and flirted back and forth. She found that she could dish out the suggestive little comments mixed in with a little bit of wit just as good as he could. She didn't know if it was the alcohol talking or not, but she liked this side of herself. It made her feel sexy and desirable and most of all, it stirred up feelings she had repressed long ago. She realized that it was okay to be sexy – it was okay to express it, that it was enjoyable and that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Thoughts she had had before ever meeting Edward Cullen. She hated how she had allowed his prudish Victorian ideals to rule their relationship and she hated how he wouldn't allow her to express her sexuality. He had made her feel undesirable and treated her as if she were a common whore for wanting more than a chaste kiss.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She was obviously desirable. She knew that, now. She glanced upon Damon and knew damn well he'd do anything she wanted to do, and then some. While the thought was a big boost to her ego, she couldn't help but think that she wanted more. More than just sex. Would he be willing to offer that? _Yes_ , her conscience told her.

After they had a few drinks, they found themselves back on the dance floor and the more they danced, the more intimate their movements became, as if they were two lovers. She found her hands sliding up and down his chest and sometimes, they'd be gently caressing his neck.

They bumped and grinded to the beats of the music that played and she lost herself to the rhythms that thumped around them. Bella's body hummed with electricity as Damon's hands glided sensually along her body as they danced. She was intoxicated from the alcohol, but if she were to be completely honest, she felt as though she was high. Ecstasy ran through her veins from every touch and every caress he gave her.

At one point, she had her back to him, with one arm draped over his shoulder as she grinded against him. He peppered kisses on her neck, and that caused a pleasurable moan to escape her lips. She could feel his smirk against her skin before he nipped her ear and brought his hands underneath her skirt, lightly caressing her thighs. She pushed herself even further onto him and when she felt his erection, her eyes widened in surprise and her heart fluttered.

 _All That She Wants_ by Ace of Base was the song that had been playing when she abruptly spun around and wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled wantonly and met his eyes, "So if you are in sight, and the day is right…she's the hunter, and you're the fox." she sang seductively to him.

He cocked a brow and licked his lips as his eyes met hers. "Is that so?" he asked huskily.

She bit down on her lower lip and nodded as he pulled her to him. He had an arm wrapped around her waist and brought a hand up behind her head as he planted a searing kiss on her mouth.

She was caught off guard and tensed up. She pulled back and looked up at him questionably for a moment. She felt like someone set her on fire, especially after noticing his heated gaze. She wanted more, so she grabbed the back of his head, stood up on her tippy toes and kissed him.

It was his turn to be surprised, but only for an instant before he pulled her even closer to him. He flicked his tongue along her bottom lip and when she took the hint and parted her lips, he wasted no time plunging his tongue into her mouth. They still swayed slightly to the beat and he grinded against her as his hand slinked down her back to her ass, where it lingered for a while.

Bella had never been kissed like that before and she was a bit unsure of what to do, but going by sound of Damon's low moans and the fact that his hand was on her ass, she took it as a good sign that she was doing something right. She gasped slightly when he ended the kiss and trailed fiery kisses down her throat, then on to her shoulders. She tangled her fingers in his hair and found herself letting out some low moans of her own.

He smirked when he came back for air and kissed her the mouth once again. This time, when he deepened the kiss, he trailed his hand sensually along the back of her thigh and hiked her leg up around his waist.

The kiss took Bella's breath away, yet she still wanted more. She ghosted her hands across his chest and along his arms. The sensation of his tongue in her mouth and the way his hands felt against her body put her in a stupor. It was almost like she was drunk on Damon himself.

He ended the kiss and whispered into her ear, "You smell _so_ good…"

She looked at him startled, "Y-You mean my blood?"

He caressed her cheek and leered at her, "Oh, I won't deny _that_ smells good, but I was referring to something else entirely…"

Unpredictably, she blushed just as he jerked his chin towards the exit, "What do you say we get out of here and continue this dance elsewhere?"

She could only nod in response before he took her hand and led her to his car. She did not miss the bulge in his pants and it made her smile, knowing she did that to him.

When they got to the Camaro, she blushed deeply as Damon pushed her up against it and placed a heated kiss on her lips. He pulled away with a smug smirk as he opened the passenger door and settled her inside.

Bella's body tingled with anticipation as he sped through the streets and took the exit onto the Interstate. She cracked the window open to cool down her heated skin and as they rode along, the chill of the night air seemed to kill her buzz from the alcohol and the euphoria she had gotten from her little make out session with him.

She wanted him. That she couldn't deny, but what she wanted was more than just sex. She wanted him for more than just his body. She wanted his heart, too. She wanted _more_. The only question was whether or not Damon would give her that.

She slouched into her seat and glanced out the window, watching the passing cars whiz by. Besides the low hum of the radio, it was quiet in the car. Damon seemed lost in his own thoughts, but that didn't stop him from gently taking her hand in his own.

When they got back to their little bungalow in Williamsburg, there was a stilted silence as they walked across the threshold. They both shared looks of apprehension towards one another and when the door finally clicked shut, it had seemed loud to her and she jumped slightly, startled by the sound.

He had chuckled at her while he cupped her cheek. He leaned in, and was about to kiss her when she placed a hand on his chest.

She took a nervous breath and met his gaze, "Damon, I-I'm sorry…I-can't."

He sighed as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "You want to, though."

His voice was husky and it made her shiver as she fought not to give in to what she was feeling. She nodded, "I do…but…"

He remained quiet, letting her say what she needed to say. When she trailed off, all he could do was ask, "But what?"

She shook her head and walked around him towards the bathroom, "I'm just going to go shower…"

Bella didn't know what else to say or do and she needed an escape from those penetrating blue eyes before they became her undoing. She grabbed her pajamas from the dresser and headed to the bathroom. Once there, she turned on the shower and let the water warm up while she sat on the toilet, rubbing her hands over her face and through her hair. "What the hell is wrong with me?" she muttered.

She felt weak in the knees as she stood up and stripped down. She inhaled a deep breath to steady her nerves before stepping into the shower. She felt the warmth of the water and just let her mind go blank as the water soothed her. She didn't know how long she stayed in there, but once she stepped out of the shower, the bathroom was full of steam. She dried off and wrapped a towel around herself.

She wiped the mirror with her hand and peered at her reflection. She took in the healthy glow to her skin, the sparkle in her eye and realized she was a totally different person than what she'd been months ago. She knew the reason was more than the fact she was given a second chance at life. She knew it was more than the fact she had truly started to live her life. She knew the reason and his name was Damon.

Bella towel-dried her hair and once she was done, she heard the doorknob turn. At the sound, she turned her head just as the door flew open. There he stood on the threshold, clad in nothing but his black pants. She couldn't help but scan his bare chest before meeting his gaze. He then stepped forward while she nervously stepped back and grabbed ahold of the counter. She swallowed thickly as she felt her heart thump within her chest.

Her eyes never left his gaze, even when he smirked knowingly at her. She tightened the towel around her and asked him apprehensively, "What do you want, Damon?"

He halted his movements, standing just a few feet away from her. "You." He stated bluntly. "I want _you_."

"I told you… I-I can't. It's not that I don't want to, believe me! But-"

He cut her off as he took another step forward. "You want _more_."

She was taken aback by what he said. It was almost as if he could read her mind. She shook her head of the thought and blurted out, "How did-"

He took another step forward and boxed her in against the counter, " _How_ did I know?" he asked with an air of affirmation.

She simply nodded as he bent his head to her shoulder and kissed it, then he tenderly took her face within his hands, "Did you ever consider that maybe _I_ want _more_ , Isabella? Did you ever stop to think that this would be more than just sex? Did you ever stop and think that maybe I want more than just some cuddles on the couch at night, or a drunken kiss on the dance floor? Did you ever stop to think I just want _you_?"

Bella could feel her heart pounding in her chest and she nearly swooned at his words. "You…you want _me_?" she questioned full of surprise and doubt.

He licked his lips and smirked as he gently caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers, "Of course I want you. We need to stop denying that there is something there between us. We've been dancing around it ever since the morning you woke up in Savannah. I don't know what it is, or what it will be. But I can tell you I never wanted anything more in my life. And…I always get what I want."

She smiled, "Do you, now?"

He smirked again as he brought her hands around his waist, peered down at her and replied with a very confident, "Yep."

She chewed on her lip, then squeezed her eyes shut. She did want him, but she was oh, so scared. Would he eventually find fault with her one day and decide she just wasn't good enough for him? She quickly squashed down that notion. He was much more loyal than that and if he wanted her now, then it wasn't likely he'd change his mind about it later. Damon was someone who knew what he wanted.

The big question looming on her mind was what if they went for something more and it fizzled? She knew the aftermath would be much worse than it had been with Edward. Damon made her feel things she had never felt before. Not just by awakening the feelings of lust, but he made her embrace life, to feel with her heart and to live in the moment. He made her feel alive and like she could fly… if she wanted to. She didn't want to lose that, but she did want that something more.

"What's going on in that little head of yours?"

His question interrupted her thoughts and she blurted out, "I'm scared… I-I know how I feel and I know what I want…I _do_ want you. You're right about that… but, I cannot stand the thought of losing what we have now. You have changed my life completely, Damon. I never thought I would feel this alive and free and it scares the hell out of me!"

Her eyes misted over as she spoke with earnest. "What I'm scared of is that what we have now will change and we'll lose whatever it is between us and most of all, I am scared because I've never felt this way about anyone else before and I know that if I ever lost you, it would just destroy me. I wouldn't be able handle it."

His eyes flickered across her face as he brushed a falling tear with his thumb. "You won't ever lose me, and what we have would only get better. Give it a chance. _Don't_ overthink it, Isabella."

She placed her hands on top of his, "I-I…"

"You what? _Say_ it." he murmured.

"I love you." she said softly and glanced up into his eyes. "I love you." she repeated again, this time her voice stronger with each word she spoke.

Damon was taken aback by her declaration, but quickly recovered as he surged forward to kiss her. It was one of passion, lust, want, need, desire and love. Everything he had ever felt for the girl. She was receptive to it and returned it with a passion that rivaled his own. She had just put her own heart on the line and it was time for him to do the same. He pulled away from her and rested his forehead upon hers. "I love you, too." he whispered reverently.

He then pulled back and cocked his head as his eyes smoldered at her, "So, do you want to _really_ dance?"

She blushed deeply, nodding her head in reply as he led her to the adjoining bedroom. He walked over to the nightstand and flicked on the radio. Hozier's _Take Me to Church_ played from its speakers as he sauntered back to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. They swayed to the music as it enveloped them.

Bella found herself getting lost in the moment, reveling in the way her body hummed as he held her to him. He kissed her tenderly and then trailed his fingers through her hair, down her neck, then he bought his hand up and cupped her chin, guiding her face towards his. He kissed her again and that time, he deepened the kiss, setting her ablaze once again…

Her hands skimmed along his abs, up to his chest, then to his shoulders before wrapping them around his neck.

He smiled slightly when he broke the kiss, giving her towel a good yank, then tossing it onto the floor. She blushed again as she gazed at him. A bout of nervousness simmered within her as she confessed that she was a virgin.

"Oh, we're about to fix that." he devilishly responded. He then pulled her to him and kissed her once more. Her virginity wasn't the only thing she gave him that night. Her heart and soul were for the taking as well.

Not only that, but for the first time in her life, she felt complete.

* * *

 _*The name of the chapter, "All That She Wants" was inspired by a song of the same name. It was performed by the band Ace of Base and is used without permission._

 _*"Whatta Man" was performed my Salt-N-Pepa & En Vogue. "Take Me to Church" is a song from Hozier. Again, both are used without permission._


	3. Part Three: Welcome to Wherever You Are

**I do not own Twilight or The Vampire Diaries...Friendly reminder that this is alternate universe. Hope you enjoy the chapter! Please feel free to review and let me know what you thought about it!**

It was three days later when Bella opened her eyes to the bright afternoon sun streaming from the windows. She squeezed her eyes shut, muttering curses under her breath about the fact that they had forgotten to close the curtains – again. Her lips twitched into a smile over the reason _why_ …after all, both of them had been much too _distracted_ to worry about such things.

She turned her head, taking in the appearance of the vampire next to her. He was nude, the sheets barely covering his form. It sent a shiver through her and just looking at him had her wanting more. She brushed aside her desire, then lightly kissed his shoulder. She got up out of bed, skipping towards the bathroom. Yes, she _skipped_.

Her entire being was filled with a sense of joy that equaled a complete state of nirvana. Bella decided at that moment love was indeed a wonderful thing. Sure, she supposed the notion sounded cheesy, but it was the truth. She compared it to a roller coaster that started slow…then it dipped and took one for all kinds of unexpected loops, twirls and spins…it was the ultimate adrenaline rush.

Bella found herself so damned giddy that she could almost swear she was high. _Yeah…high on Damon,_ she thought. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, taking note of her glowing face and the sparkle in her eyes. "So, that's what an afterglow looks like." she whispered out loud.

She blushed while shaking her head, almost embarrassed by what she had said. She looked down at her arms and legs, noting there were no bruises. Then she realized it was probably because Damon had given her his blood the night before.

She'd been reluctant at first, knowing that the smell could make her sick. The first time she drank his blood, she was knocked out cold. The second time, she had been more interested in staying alive, so the thought of what was taking place never had a chance to enter her mind. When he suggested that she partake in drinking it while fully aware of the action made her stomach instantly flip-flop.

Of course, Damon was undeterred by her reluctance and turned it into a game. She was unable to resist the seductive gleam in his eyes as he bit into his index finger. Then, he sensually smeared the blood across her lips and kissed her. That had led to a make out session – their tongues doing a fierce tango, with passion burning between them.

Bella didn't mind one little bit because the thought of blood all but left her as she succumbed to the unbridled lust that coursed through her body. She was a novice at the whole sexual experience, whereas he had over a century and a half to master the art of making love. Every move he made with his hands were with tenderness and with intent to pleasure her. He had ran his fingers delicately through her hair, then to her collarbone. When he reached her breast, there were feather light touches as his thumb brushed against her nipple. It was a heady mixture of pure bliss that left her craving more. She had arched her back, indulging in the moment.

He flicked his tongue along her neck and when she felt the pressure of his fangs; she tensed briefly, remembering her attack. Damon responded by holding her closer to him so that their bodies were flush. He then peppered kisses on her throat before gently biting down. He palmed her breast just as he wrapped his lips around the wound and slowly drank from her.

The feeling of arousal overwhelmed her almost immediately – she found herself nearly intoxicated. So much so, she didn't even flinch when he brought his hand up to his own neck and made a small cut. He pulled back briefly, looking into her eyes before guiding her head towards the small droplets that left a trail there. She tentatively licked at them, tasting the flavor. He sighed contentedly, closing his eyes as he leaned forward, then pressed his lips voraciously to her throat once more. His reaction spurned her on, so she latched her mouth onto his neck and drank from him. His blood tasted different from the night of the attack – it was sweeter, richer and unlike anything she'd ever tasted. She drank greedily from him, finding his blood to be it nothing short of divine.

The more Bella drank, the closer she felt to him. The feeling was intense as she found herself consumed by his taste, his touch, and his scent. The world seemed to disappear around them while they lost themselves in each other – it was like they were two souls merged together as one. She suddenly found herself starting to climax, and tightly curled her hands around Damon's shoulders, anticipating the freefall that she knew was coming. A guttural moan escaped his lips while he wrapped his fingers within her hair, tugging at it lightly as he bit down a little harder.

When he finally pulled away from her, she took in the sight of his blood stained lips, considering it incredibly sexy. She surged forward and kissed him, then erotically licked her own blood off his lips. _That_ had led to other things…

She stood in the bathroom with a smile on her face, recalling the memory.

"Well, good morning… my little minx."

Bella snorted in amusement at the moniker, turning to face him. "Good morning to you, too." she greeted affectionately.

Damon smirked, "Thinking about the good time we had on that counter yesterday? Hmm?"

"You _do_ realize that we haven't left this suite for three days?"

He shrugged, "Why ever would we need to? We can order room service! We have a bed, a shower and I can tap a vein…right there." he said playfully, kissing a spot on her neck.

Bella giggled as she hugged him to her.

"Unfortunately though," he spoke with a bit of reluctance, "we do need to head to Mystic Falls."

She took in a nervous breath, "I hope they like me…"

Damon took his index finger and raised her chin, making her meet his eyes, "It doesn't matter if they do or if they don't. **I** like you… that's all you need to worry about."

She smiled with a teasing glint in her eyes, "I thought you said that you _loved_ me."

He rolled his eyes, "I might've… once or twice." He then wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, "I might've said I love you, too…"

"Actually, there was one time you _screamed_ it…"

She cocked an eyebrow, "Damon?"

He smirked, "Yes, Minxy?"

Bella gaped at him, completely thrown off guard. "M-Minxy? What the fuck!?"

"I happen to have a thing for nicknames and that one sounds way better than Klutzy!" He batted his eyes as he bopped her on the nose, "Don't ya think?"

Her nose scrunched up in disapproval, "Sounds corny…"

Damon looked to the ceiling for a moment as of in thought, "Hmm. How about Vixen?"

"Ughh! No!" she grumbled before adding, "Rhymes with Blitzen…and you do realize that all the names you've given me so far are just a fancy way of saying I'm a slut?"

"You're _my_ slut…" he joked.

She scoffed in jest, "Well…I'd have to be a one-man slut because you're the only guy I've been with and I hope to keep it that way."

He smirked devilishly, "Oh you will!" Then he whispered into her ear, "Want to know _why_?"

Bella nodded shyly.

Damon's smirk transformed into a salacious grin, "Because I am going to definitely _ruin_ you for anyone else…"

Her cheeks reddened as she shook her head. She gently pushed him aside and made her way to the bedroom. "We better get ready if you want to head home today. Does Stefan know you're coming?"

"Yep!" he responded, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "How about some breakfast first?" he asked casually.

"I'm not hungry and you just fed yesterday." she murmured softly, snuggling into his embrace.

He chuckled provocatively, "I don't mean _that_ kind of breakfast, Isabella."

She spun around to face him with a shocked expression while he glanced down upon her with a playful leer. Before she could say a word, he had blurred them over to the bed, then tossed her in it. The word _insatiable_ came to her mind as she thought of her vampire. God help her… she absolutely loved it.

* * *

Three hours later, they were on the Interstate headed towards Mystic Falls. It wouldn't be a long trip; just over an hour. The closer they got to their destination, the more nervous she became. Bella wanted Stefan and the others to like her. She didn't expect them to accept her right away, but hoped they would at least be friendly towards her.

It had been quiet in the car for the most part. That was, until Damon clasped his hand over her fidgeting fingers.

"Stop!" he ordered sharply.

She glanced over at him, not saying a word. She gazed into his icy-blue eyes, letting out a jittery sigh.

"They will love you." he said with assurance.

"You don't know that! They could hate me because of what we have and you're not exactly sitting around pining for Elena like everyone expects you to -"

He cut her off. "Isabella, they know Elena wanted me happy."

He blew out a breath, licked his lips and professed reverently, " _You_ make me happy." He then took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

That set aside her reservations a little bit, so she settled into the passenger seat, holding on to his hand as if her life depended on it; just watching the world whiz by.

Bella damn near bolted upright in her seat when they zipped past the 'Welcome to Mystic Falls' sign. It immediately made her think of the day Charlie had picked her up at the airport to drive her home to his house in Forks. She painfully regretted ever making the decision to move there; just so her mother could enjoy the honeymoon phase with her new husband. That one decision led her to falling love with Edward, almost dying, and losing her family. She flinched as she recalled how happy her dad had been to have her with him. She could still remember the pride in his voice while he told her about the truck he had gotten her – the same truck Damon had convinced her to leave in Savannah.

She bit down on her bottom lip as a tear rolled down her cheek. She knew the sign was an omen, but was it a good omen or bad omen? Even after everything she had been through, she still held hope it would be a good one. After all, her choices had led her to Damon and he was the best thing that ever happened to her.

 _Damon had been right_ , she thought. Mere objects weren't needed in remembrance of those she lost; her parents and her best friend would always live in her heart. She vowed then and there to never forget them.

"What's with the waterworks?" he asked softly, interrupting her thoughts.

She wiped the tear from her cheek, smiling wanly. "I was just reminded of my dad and when I moved to Forks…"

He nodded, gently squeezing her hand. "How about we ride around for a little while? I want to see how much they fucked things up…"

"Damon!" she chided.

"Well, the kids don't usually get it done right unless I'm around." he said with an edge of cockiness to his voice.

Bella rolled her eyes, then looked out the window, but couldn't help herself as a grin spread across her face. He was the most confident being she had ever met and had an enormous ego. She found it annoying at times, even though it only added to his charm.

Bella's grin broadened as they came upon the town. She was completely enthralled by the brick buildings that surrounded a circular pavilion. Although the structures had obviously been rebuilt or restored, she couldn't help but love the old world charm; it was like being back in another time. She eyed the clock tower and immediately thought of _Back to the Future_. She half-expected to see Marty McFly speed down the road in a DeLorean.

Damon had pointed out certain places to her, like the Mystic Grill, the town's library and an ice cream shop. When they travelled up the road, they took in the newly built Mystic Falls Hospital with its mix of classic and modern style architecture. There were two small wings connected to the main structure by glass causeways. She took note of the brick pillars at the entryway, along with the intricate stonework that surrounded it. The detail and design of the buildings gave her a chill, for she was instantly reminded of Esme Cullen.

She shook off the feeling and reminded herself that she would probably never see _them_ again. She knew deep down that she'd always hold an anger and a sense of betrayal towards the Cullen family, especially Edward. In fact, she felt entitled to it because if they had simply stayed and taken out Victoria to begin with; she would have never lost her family, nor would she have lost her best friend.

Bella didn't care about the years she spent running and being hunted. None of that mattered because in the end, she found out who she was as a person. It made her stronger – it led her to Damon. She philosophized that for every bad thing that happened to her, something extraordinarily good came out of it. Even if the past few years had been hell for her, she persevered it. Not only that, she became the woman she wanted to be and last but not least, she found the love her life.

She reasoned that their cruel abandonment was actually the biggest favor they ever did for her. Though, she hoped the perfect human existence the Cullens' coveted would not be as perfect as they expected. She wanted them held accountable for their hypocrisy and blatant denial of what they were. She believed they'd get their due – karma was the ultimate bitch, after all. Her one wish in regards to them was that she'd get to see it in action.

When Damon pulled up in front of a rather old house, Bella found herself mesmerized by how beautiful it was.

He smirked as she gasped, looking over the house with wide eyes. "Welcome to the Salvatore Boarding House."

"This is your house!?" she asked, full of awe.

He tsked and replied, "Mine and Stefan's, yes."

"It's…exquisite!" she proclaimed breathlessly.

He rolled his eyes and escorted her into the house. There, she took in the paneled walls and the antiques with wonderment.

"Wow!" she said in a dazed whisper, completely enthralled by her surroundings.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "It's just a bunch of old stuff we've collected over the years…" He nodded to the swords over the fireplace, "Those were our father's."

He gestured to the crystal on the liquor cart, "Those were one of the few things that actually withstood the fire of the original Salvatore mansion. I'll have to take you to the ruins sometime. That is, if Steffie didn't clean it up…"

A figure walked into the room and softly spoke, "No, I didn't clean it up. I think it was the only place you didn't touch when you-"

He abruptly stopped speaking as his gaze landed upon Bella. "You must be Isabella."

She nodded with a shy smile, offering her hand for him to take. "And you're Stefan, I presume?"

"The one and only." he replied with a cordial smile, politely shaking her hand.

"Please, call me Bella."

"Well hello to you too, brother." Damon said with more than a touch of sarcasm before casually wrapping his arms around Stefan's shoulders. He looked over towards his girl with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "So, now you've met The Ripper!"

He then turned his head towards his brother, "What do you think, Stef? You wanna take a bite?"

Stefan's eyes widened in shock while Bella simply giggled at her boyfriend's antics.

"Bella, I assure you… I won't be doing anything of the sort." he stated reassuringly.

He peered studiously at the couple, realizing there was something special between the two of them. He was elated, knowing his older sibling had finally found true happiness and love.

"She tastes _exquisite_!" Damon declared, to which Stefan shook his head, then wryly smiled towards Bella.

She shrugged as the tap, tap, tap of heels could be heard in the foyer. Bella glanced up, noticing a beautiful blonde girl.

Damon nodded in greeting, "Caroline, this is Isabella – she prefers Bella, though."

Caroline took in the girl's deep brown eyes and friendly smile. Stefan had already told her Damon met someone and she had been prepared to hate the girl on sight. However, there was something endearing about the petite brunette in front of her, causing her to smile warmly. She even opened her arms to hug her.

Bella shot a confused look to the boys, who both chuckled. She was totally taken by surprise, considering Damon once told her that Caroline didn't take to newcomers well and was often suspicious of them.

After introductions, they all sat cozily in front of the fireplace, getting to know one another. Bella learnt that Stefan was the exact opposite of his brother in personality. Yet, she could see that they shared the same sense of loyalty, honor and respect for those they cared about. The sibling bond between them was undeniable, no matter how much they would find ways to annoy one another.

She found that she really liked Caroline, although the girl could be a bit too exuberant at times. She was sweet and compassionate, albeit a bit too inquisitive for Bella's tastes. It seemed like she expected to get her life story right off the bat! After a few snippy answers, Caroline backed off and moved to lighter topics of conversation. From there, a friendship was born.

The next morning, Bella was in her boyfriend's bedroom haphazardly tossing clothes out of her bag, desperately searching for something to wear for a lunch meeting with Bonnie that Caroline had arranged. She wasn't one that normally put much thought into what she should wear, but hearing from Damon just how judgmental the little witch was, she wanted the odds in her favor to make a good first impression. To say she was nervous would be a vast understatement – she was damned near petrified.

Damon stood at the threshold of the bedroom, his arms crossed wearing an expression of amusement. "You know, if you unpack…you just might find something…"

She turned her head to him with a glare upon her face, "When have I had the time? We just got here yesterday! We spent _ages_ talking with Stefan and Caroline, not to mention…" she then cleared her throat with a smile, "our other activities."

He sighed, walked over and removed the article of clothing from her hands. "You're worried about meeting the witch, aren't you?"

She grimaced, hating how he could read her so easily.

"It will be _fine_. You've already won over Blondie. Believe me, that's a feat in itself. The only thing Bonnie will hold against you is that fact you're with me, but that's more about me than you. She'll like you…then, she'll tell you in a thousand and one ways how evil I am."

She laughed, "I _know_ how evil you are…"

He smirked, "And sexy, charming, _irresistible_ …"

She laughed again and shook her head, "That you may be, but I know you're also an ass!" She arched her brow to emphasize her point before focusing her attention back to her bag and digging through it.

"What in the hell do I wear for meeting judgy little witches?" Bella muttered under her breath.

Damon bumped her aside with his hip, dug through the bag and pulled out a white sleeveless top, "Well, if you want to seem innocent and virginal…you wear this. But you're not quite that pure, anymore." He wiggled his eyebrows just as he tossed the shirt on the floor. "So…that one goes in the 'no' pile."

He pulled out a flowy red tank top, "If you want to exude power and confidence… you wear this." He then threw it on the bed. "That's the 'maybe' pile."

He grabbed a black button-down shirt, "Now, if you want to be sexy and mysterious, you wear this."

Bella snatched it from him, "Says the man that only wears black…"

She took another look at the shirt. "And you can almost see through that! I don't remember buying that!"

Damon chuckled, "No, _you_ didn't. But I did." He then tugged at the neckline of her tank top and unashamedly peered down at her breasts. "You could just stay home and entice your boyfriend…"

Her cheeks turned scarlet as she gaped up at him, "Seriously?!"

"Hmm, hmm." was the reply while scanning her lasciviously from head to toe.

She scowled at him, grabbed a pair of jeans from the bag, picked up the white shirt from the floor, and stomped off into the bathroom.

He threw his hands in the air with a grin, "I was only trying to help! Women these days!"

He jaunted out of the room, then made his way downstairs towards the liquor cart in the parlor.

"Sounds like you met your match."

He snapped his head to the familiar voice of his brother and nodded. "Feisty little thing, isn't she?"

Stefan smiled, "Yeah… I think she and Caroline hit it off last night and I wouldn't be surprised if they got close."

"What did you think of her?" he quietly asked.

"I like her. She's beautiful, smart, kindhearted, and brutally honest. I have to say it – a much better match for you than Elena ever was."

Damon said not a word, taking a sip of Bourbon. He wouldn't voice it aloud, but Stefan's opinion mattered to him and so did Bonnie's. While he was glad Blondie had taken to his girl, he had some uncertainty about the witch. If he were to be completely honest, he was just waiting for someone to yell at him because he fell in love with another while Elena rest in a magical coma. The little group had criticized him before for far less than that.

"You're anxious about her meeting Bonnie, aren't you?" his younger sibling asked.

"Maybe a little…but I don't think Isabella will put up with any of her judgy crap, or allow her to condemn me. I actually hope the witch likes her."

"You never did go into detail about her past…" Stefan timidly commented.

"And that is HER story to tell, not mine." he bluntly stated just as Caroline waltzed into the room.

Damon eyed the female vampire down, " _Don't_ pepper her with too many questions today. She's been through a lot and if and when she wants you to know about it, she'll tell you!"

"Okay…" she said with a nod just as Bella bounded down the stairs. The conversation suddenly halted as they watched her enter the room.

"Gee, guys! You really need to get some lessons on how to not so obvious you were talking about the person that just walked in the room!"

Damon snorted loudly as he draped an arm around her shoulders. Caroline giggled and Stefan just smiled.

"I love your outfit!" the blonde remarked.

Bella tugged at the black shirt she'd swiped from Damon's closet, her cheeks tinting pink. She wore it knotted at the waist, along with some jeans and black ballet flats.

"So, you went for sexy and mysterious to meet _Bonnie_?" he said in a teasing lilt.

"Well, I'm pretty sure a McDreamy will show up at the bar! Maybe I'll want to impress him." she stated flippantly.

He cocked a brow, "McDreamy?!"

Caroline burst into hysterical giggles, "You need to watch Grey's Anatomy…and I think _McAss_ suits you better!"

Bella covered her mouth, attempting to stifle her laughter while Damon stood there glaring at them both.

Unfazed by his demeanor, she batted her eyelashes playfully. "I love you…" she voiced cheerily.

His eyes softened as he blew out a breath, "And I love you."

"Awe! How sweet!" Caroline sarcastically said. "I have a toothache!"

"Give me a nice, sharp, stake…" he sing-songed threateningly, "then I'll make sure you have an ache in your heart!"

She blew off his comment and pecked Stefan on the lips, "Love you, but we got to get going." She then faced Bella, "You ready?"

The petite brunette nodded, grabbing her purse. She was almost to the door when Damon loudly cleared his throat.

"Forgetting something?"

Her eyebrows puckered as she thought on it. "Uh…no."

He scoffed, "You know, two lips meet another set of lips…"

She smiled coyly, "Damon Salvatore, are you asking for a goodbye kiss?"

He blurred over to her and grabbed her butt, pulling her flush against him, "I'd want a hell of a lot more than a kiss, but I don't think you'd want to put on a show for the kids…"

Bella's cheeks turned a bright shade of red at his comment, Caroline scoffed and Stefan did not look amused. Before he could toss out another quip, she hurriedly pecked him on the cheek, then scampered out the door with Caroline trailing behind her.

Damon stood there with a goofy grin on his face as his brother looked over to him.

"You got it bad, don't you?"

"Brother, unless you want me to rip off your ring and barbeque your ass in the sun, _do not_ say that again!"

Stefan solemnly nodded, then walked out the room.

* * *

The two young women sat in a booth at the Mystic Grill making small talk. Caroline really liked Bella, but couldn't understand how someone so shy and kind could end up with Damon – a vampire who would rip your heart out with a smile on his face, showing absolutely no remorse about it.

Then again, she had seen the way the both of them looked at each other. It was love in its purest form and she knew without a doubt he had never looked at Elena in such a way. Caroline knew with certainty that he once cared deeply for her lifelong best friend, though it was nothing in comparison to the obvious adoration he had towards Bella.

As shy as the girl seemed to be, she could put up with Damon's sardonic humor, his abrasive personality, and dish it right back at him. They also balanced each other out, whereas Bella was quiet and unassuming; Damon was an extrovert and made no qualms about having his opinion known.

They both exhibited signs of pain and loss. It often reflected within in their eyes. Yet, with one glance towards the other, it would disappear and be replaced with joy and love. She thought the couple were a perfect match. While she may not like the raven-haired vamp, she surmised that he deserved happiness just as much as anyone else did.

Caroline was positively itching to get the girl's story – to see what caused her pain and how she got the inner strength that clearly revealed itself in her demeanor. She knew she would have to bide her time, though. Not only because of Bella's shyness, but the fact Damon had warned her. It just wouldn't do to piss him off…she knew just how over-protective he could be.

So, she sat drumming her nails on the table as they made small talk about the weather, the history of the town and the best thing to get on the menu.

Bella sat nervously while she spoke with the blonde vampire. She liked her cheerful personality and the kindness she had shown her. She could tell that Caroline Forbes was a good soul, for it showed in every fiber of her being. She suspected her new friend wanted to know more about her, but she wasn't quite ready to divulge the details of her past stupidity – falling for the charms of a Cold One and how it completely destroyed her life. Although, she felt rather certain that she'd eventually share her story.

She was apprehensive about meeting Bonnie, knowing Damon held the witch in high regard, even though he detested how she judged others. Bella always felt insecure and had the innate desire for others to like her. Because of that, she happened to be one of those people with a strong inclination to please others – it was a part her nature. She always placed other's wants and needs above her own. At least, until she was on the run from Victoria. It was only then she put herself first, not giving a damn about what anyone might think about it. She did what was necessary to survive; because evading death was far more important than whether or not people liked her.

Here she was… once again worried about what someone would think of her. _It shouldn't matter_ , she told herself. Though, she couldn't help but have flashbacks to the day Edward introduced her to the rest of his coven and gave her a tour of their mansion. At the time, she felt inadequate in her cheaply made skirt and sweater while the rest of his family donned designer clothes. Back then, she was just a naïve little girl brought into the supernatural world, finding herself completely enchanted by the idyllic picture that the Cullen coven had painted of it.

Bella had loved how they embraced the human side of themselves. She once held a vast respect for Carlisle and his chosen profession as a physician. He truly wanted to make the world a better place simply because he found beauty in it. It was a trait that he instilled in each of his fellow coven members, or as he called them – his family. They seemed to adore her, even accepting her as one of their own.

Looking back on it, she realized that she was no longer the gullible young girl that fell for the façade that the coven presented themselves as. She had grown up, becoming stronger and much wiser to the ways of the world. The Cullens may have lived a human existence and exhibited a kind, compassionate nature, but showed exactly what their true colors were when they cruelly abandoned her in a world she couldn't defend herself in. Edward shattered her very soul into a thousand pieces that day he ended things in the woods, telling her she wasn't good enough and was nothing more than a distraction for him. Then, he had the gall to belittle her for being human, remarking that her mind was a sieve and that she'd forget him – it'd be as if he never existed.

The memory angered her, more than she would care to admit. From that very moment he walked away, her journey to hell begun. First, there was a deep depression she had to claw her way out of, with help from her best friend, Jacob. Just as she started to find some semblance of happiness, Victoria entered the picture, seeking to avenge the death of her mate. It was around that time she discovered Jacob and the boys from his tribe shapeshifted into wolves and once more placed her trust into the hands of the supernatural. She relied on them for over a year as a means of protection. In the end, her reliance upon them cost her the lives of not only Jacob, but her family. Victoria maliciously took everything she held dear.

When Bella found the mangled body of her father, she came to the conclusion that the only person she could depend on was herself and fled town to escape the Cold One's wrath. The years of being on the run were terrifying, but it gave her a sense of freedom she hadn't ever had before. Every choice she made thereafter was of her own design.

She lived a solitary existence, never once attempting to make any friends out of fear that Victoria would kill them; it was a lonely existence and she endured it. That is, until she hit Miami and handed her job application to an ex-narcotics detective turned nightclub owner. The man had a twinkle in his blue eyes, accompanied with a sexy grin that she was sure made the hearts of many ladies flutter. Sonny was his name and he was the epitome of charisma. He also had a knack for getting people to open up, and he was the one responsible for softening the walls she'd built around herself.

From the moment they met, she felt an instant kinship with him. He was the first person outside her family that seemed genuinely interested in her as a person. He taught her the ins and outs of working the club, how to handle the customers; and somewhere along the way, he built her confidence up. Eventually, they grew so close that he became the father figure she so desperately needed.

Unlike the Cullens, he never tried to change who she was. In fact, he was the one to sharpen her observation skills and taught Bella to always trust her instincts.

"Always trust your gut, baby." he once told her.

Over time, she put her new found skills to use by dealing with all the walks of life that passed through the club on a nightly basis. There were the college kids – who just wanted to get smashed, then there were the people in their late twenties that wanted a break from the daily bump and grind. Older men often walked in with a pretty young thing, while scoping out the joint for another easy lay. They were the ones the ever-present blonde beach bunnies looked for. Those women flirted outrageously, pawing at them and showing off their assets. Bella thought it was disgusting the way those women sold themselves just to get at the money that lined the men's pockets.

She saw a slice of life that she had been sheltered from, everything from jaded souls that would perch themselves at the bar, drowning their sorrows to the innocent high school kids that tried to get into the club, brazenly waving about their fake IDs. Meeting the various kinds of people helped hone her people skills and taught her how to blend in the world around her. Most importantly, she learned that everybody had a story to tell, whether it was good or bad. She felt a connection to the people that surrounded her, realizing that whatever experiences one had made them who they were.

When Bella fled Miami, she returned to the life of a lone drifter and found that she missed the human interaction with others, especially Sonny. A part of her felt as though it was mistake to allow herself to open up and soften those walls around her. It could have possibly put innocent lives in danger and that wasn't something she was willing to do. Her only choice would be to live the life of solitude.

It was a choice that she made peace with, eventually accepting the fact that she would most likely die at the hands of Victoria at some point. By the time Bella reached Savannah, she had grown weary of the loneliness and tired of being hunted down like a rabid dog. What was the point of living if you couldn't live a life?

She learned from an early age life wasn't perfect, having been the product of a failed marriage. She never shared the typical aspirations other kids her age had. She never wanted the American dream that included two kids and a white picket fence. Her aspirations were of doing something extraordinary like writing a book, or teaching literature at one of those ivy-league schools. She wanted life to be an adventure, exhilarating and hoped she'd be lucky enough to find someone to share it with.

She thought she had found it when she met Edward; but after that farce of a relationship, Bella turned a blind eye to the very idea of love. She held the belief that love was a silly notion, and completely overrated. If and when she met someone, she wanted open honesty and that included a complete disclosure about her life. She didn't think it would ever be possible to find such a person. Needless to say, all her sentiments on the matter went out the window that night in Savannah.

Damon Salvatore entered the picture and turned her world upside down. He not only saved her from Victoria; he saved her from herself and taught her to live life to the fullest. He had been honest with her from the start, never once embellishing how dangerous or how superior he was. While he had an enormous ego, he never had to state what a bad-ass he was. It showed in his actions, his mannerisms and with just one look at him… if you were on his bad side, you knew your number was up.

The same could be said when he exhibited his affection for her. He wasn't shy when it came to his gentle caresses or his soothing embraces. He exhibited passion when he kissed her or made love to her – he poured his heart and soul into whatever he did.

His words were always sincere; it didn't matter if it was an expression of love or a threat…he meant what he said and his actions backed them up.

Damon was like a long-lost treasure that she didn't know she'd been searching for. When he joined in on her escapade into a new life, there was an instantaneous kinship between them. From that, a friendship was born, which grew into mutual admiration and respect for one another. For the first time in her life, she found someone who truly understood her. With each passing day, they grew closer and she found herself falling in love with him. It was obvious he cared deeply for her, but she never fathomed that he'd reciprocate what she felt for him. He proved her wrong that night in Williamsburg by barging into the bathroom, then making her confront what was brewing between them. Not only did he profess his love for her, he proceeded to show her in the most intimate way possible.

Her thoughts settled within her very soul as she sat there at the grill. A sense of joy enveloped her, knowing that the love she shared with him was real. He cherished her as much as she did him, and with each minute that ticked by, their bond grew even stronger. It dawned on her that because of Damon, she found meaning in life once again.

It became clear to Bella that she wanted a second chance at forever and she wanted it with the vampire that captured her heart. She would give him her life for the chance of an eternity at his side. The question was, would he want the same? Would he turn her? She inhaled a deep breath at the thought and hoped he would.

With that one thought, her worries about meeting Bonnie seemed insignificant…she had much more important things to worry about. While she would appreciate it if the little witch liked her, at the same time, she didn't care. The only opinions that mattered were her own and to some extent, Damon's. She liked who she was. It may have taken a trip to hell and back, but she _survived_ and in the process, she became wiser, stronger and all the better for it. Most importantly, she found someone who nurtured that strength within her, accepting her just as she was. She had discovered the true meaning of love and treasured it for the gift it was. She vowed that she wouldn't let anyone take that gift from her.

 _If the witch doesn't like me, maybe a house will fall from the sky and land on her ass_ …

She smiled at the notion while snatching a cheese fry from Caroline's plate. The vampire glanced up at her friend, "You seemed like a million miles away there! I bet you were thinking of a certain blue-eyed Salvatore."

Bella shrugged and then uttered, "Sorta."

They sat and munched on their fries, chatting about the upcoming festivities for Founder's Day. Somehow, during the course of conversation, she found herself on the decorating committee, a judge for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, and a member of a Ladies Aid Society that Caroline was setting up. The girl was so damn tenacious that it was hard to say no. Plus, she'd found that she actually enjoyed spending time with the high-spirited blonde. She agreed to the volunteer work, knowing it would give her something to do, and hoped she could make some new friends along the way.

When Caroline brought up being a member of the Council, Bella was astonished at the very suggestion, and quite bluntly told the girl no. She was new to the town and wasn't about to go stepping on anyone's toes.

"Well, at least you'll sign the ledger at the ball, right?"

Bella bit her lip, shyly casting her gaze downward. "I can't do that…" she whispered.

Caroline stubbornly shook her head, leaned forward and braced her hands on the table. "Look at me." she ordered in a firm voice.

The brunette sighed, and fidgeted uncomfortably before looking over to her.

The vampire offered a gentle smile before continuing on, "You're helping to get this town back on its feet. You _will_ sign the ledger at the ball!"

When there was no response, her eyes then narrowed as she stared the petite human down, "May I remind you that you're screwing one of the original Founding Family members?! And as your new self-proclaimed B.F.F. – I say that in itself gives you a right to sign the damn ledger AND join the Council!"

Bella scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Damon was right…"

Caroline settled back in her seat, cocking her head to the side. "About what?"

Bella grinned as she quoted him, "The supernatural world tends to suck you in… and once you are in, you can't get back out!"

The girls were still laughing at the quote when a figure approached the table a few minutes later. It was a handsome man in a police uniform. They suddenly stopped when they caught sight of him.

"Why does it not surprise me Damon would be stealing lines from _The Godfather_?"

Bella giggled, "At least it's not Harry Potter, then there would be jokes about a House of Swan…" She snorted at the thought. "Uh…just…no!"

Caroline piped up with a certain glint in her eyes. "Oh please! It'd be the House of Salvatore and it would be a magical whorehouse!"

Bella laughed loudly as the police officer shook his head with a smile. He eyed the two girls when the laughter died down and held out his hand, "Matt Donovan."

Bella grasped his hand, "Bella Swan."

She noted the badge on his uniform indicating that he was the town's sheriff. An image of her father coming home from work and asking, "What's for dinner, Bells?" instantly flashed through her mind. She could recall the love that could be heard in his tone of voice whenever he spoke to her and how he always smelled of Aqua Velva.

She closed her eyes briefly, cherishing the memory. She then felt a warm hand on hers along with a gentle squeeze. "Are you alright?" Caroline asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine." Bella answered inaudibly.

The blonde vampire knew otherwise. She lost her own mother to cancer, so she immediately recognized the same sadness in Bella's eyes that she once carried within her own. She nodded to Matt, silently asking for a moment alone. He bid a friendly farewell to them both and walked off. When he was out of earshot, Caroline took Bella's other hand in her own.

She eyed the girl empathetically before speaking, "I know what it's like to not want to talk about things…especially if they are things you'd rather forget. But… you need to know that you _can_ talk to me. There's nothing I haven't seen or heard that will scare me away."

Bella bowed her head sadly, "I-I can't."

Caroline stood up and sat by the young woman, "Yes, you _can_. Sometimes it is better to talk about those bad memories, thoughts or feelings than to bottle them up. I did that once – when my mother died. The grief was so oppressive that I flipped the switch, and it was not a pretty sight…"

"I wanted to die." the brunette said meekly.

It was then that Bella decided to tell her about her life. "I was seventeen when I moved to Forks. I met a Cold One…"

The two young women had sat in the booth for more than an hour as she told her story. When she was done, the vampire remained quiet. Her mind raced with something comforting and appropriate to say. Caroline was amazed by how one person could experience so many traumatic experiences and endure the sorrow that came along with it. She had the fleeting thought that Elena would have really bonded with Bella, given how similar their stories were. What she really admired about the human girl before her was the fact she still opened her heart to love, even after all the tragedy she faced. Though, she just had to question the happenstance of her finding it with a certain immortal asshat.

She had once swore Damon Salvatore would be bitter and angry for an eternity. When she first met him, he used her as his little sex toy, then compelled her to aid him in his schemes against his brother and Elena. She had known him to be manipulative and vicious. In fact, she once compared him to Satan. She hated him with a burning passion, which was exemplified even more once she became a vampire.

Her hatred of him had blinded her judgement of him on more than one occasion. It wasn't until he and Elena begun their relationship that she saw a different side to him. He was an evil, arrogant bastard to most people, but he was never that way with her. His whole world revolved around Elena and the love he carried in his heart for her caused traces of his humanity to shine through.

During that time, Caroline saw beyond the front that Damon put up with his sarcasm and violent tendencies. Instead, she saw a man who would risk himself to save the ones he cared for. When others would simply give up hope, he never did. He wouldn't ever back down from a fight and could always figure out a solution to almost any problem. Although his ethics in solving problems created friction amongst their circle of friends, he was an ally they often needed. She knew without Damon on their side, all of them would have faced a much different fate.

Elena frequently scolded him for his actions, honestly believing she could change who he was and make him gain some sort of moral compass. Not wanting to risk losing her, Damon tried in vain to be who she wanted him to be and often failed. The two of them were vastly different from the other. Elena was too kind of a soul to accept the darkness that came with becoming a vampire, whereas Damon embraced it. The young woman continued to look at the world through human eyes rather than a creature of the night. It made things difficult between the two of them because unlike Elena, the elder Salvatore's view of the world was that of a vampire and had been so for over a century and a half.

Caroline thought the couple were doomed from the start, but they proved her wrong and remained completely devoted to one another. They found happiness together and he even promised to take the cure so they could live out a human life together – a dream that was shattered by a witch named Kai.

When Elena was put into a magical sleep, Damon returned to the homicidal, malicious vampire he once was. He switched off his humanity and unleashed bloodlust unlike anything Mystic Falls had seen before. He spent his days and nights draining bodies, leaving a very bloody trail in his wake. Meanwhile, the town was in absolute chaos as they all fought against Lily Salvatore and her adopted family of heretics. They seemed unstoppable until Stefan somehow convinced Damon to help them. By then, Damon's murder sprees had become sporadic and it seemed like he operated on what his brother referred to as a "dimmer switch." His humanity was gone, but there was a small part of him that still cared for the town and its people.

Working together, they came up with a plan to defeat the heretics, only Damon took it a step further by tearing his own mother's heart from her body out of revenge for killing his best friend, Enzo. Caroline could clearly remember the fury that flashed in his eyes as he did so, noting that it was the first time he showed any sort of emotion since her best friend died.

A day or so later he left Mystic Falls. He became a drifter, barely keeping in touch with anybody. From what she gathered from Stefan, he wallowed in his grief and attempted to soothe it with alcohol and women. They were somewhat able to keep an eye on him from afar, due to Matt's law enforcement connections. It saddened her whenever she heard the reports of women disappearing or found dead. Caroline saw little hope for the vampire's future, believing that he would hold on to his anger, living a miserable existence for all eternity.

She came out of her thoughts, then glanced at the brown-eyed girl before her as the startling revelation came to her that she was Damon's salvation – a second chance at happiness.

"You saved him." she softly blurted out.

Bella quirked her brow in question. "What?" she stammered out. "You mean _Damon_?"

Caroline simply nodded. Bella eyed her solemnly, "No." she whispered. She then took a deep breath, slowly blew it out and declared, "He saved _me_."

The rest of the lunch was spent quietly chatting away and getting to know one another. They were on dessert when a dark haired young woman approached them.

"Bonnie!" the blonde vampire squealed gleefully before standing up and hugging the witch. "Bonnie, this is Bella Swan. Bella-"

Caroline was cut off as Bonnie's green eyes looked imploringly at her. She then shot a cursory look towards Bella. "I know who that is." she said stiffly. There was an uncomfortable silence between the three of them that was broken when she outstretched her hand and spoke.

"Nice to meet you."

Bella smiled, knowing exactly what Bonnie was trying to do. She had no secrets and if Little Miss Judgy wanted her story, she might as well have it. With that thought in mind, she brazenly shook the girl's hand and met her eyes, never breaking eye contact. Not even when the witch paled, let go of her hand and stumbled back.

"Pain…death…cold…" Bonnie stuttered out.

Bella arched her brow. "What else ya got?" she inquired with a bit of a bite to her voice, holding out her hand once again.

Bonnie stepped forward apprehensively as she gently took her hand once more. A minute passed by before a couple of tears flowed down her cheeks as she replied, "Redemption…light…peace." Then she whispered, "Love." She inhaled a breath and smiled, "It _is_ nice to meet you."

"Now you know my story, how about you tell me yours? If I go by what Damon tells me about you, you're either the Wicked Witch of the East, _or_ you're the Selfless Savior…" Bella's eyes twinkled with amusement while she patted the spot next to her, "Have a seat and we'll get you some cake since you totally missed lunch…"

The witch giggled at the Damon-esque smirk that graced the other girl's face and sat down. The girls spent most of the afternoon perched in the booth getting to know each other and making plans for the various upcoming social functions. New friendships were made and a sisterhood was born.

* * *

The next three weeks seemed to fly by as Bella embraced life in Mystic Falls. She found herself in the throes of absolute happiness and finally had a sense of being in a place she really belonged. The feeling was foreign to her, but she accepted it with gratitude.

She gained true friends along the way that knew the dangers she'd faced in the past. Friends who truly understood just how profound her losses were. Bella never dreamed that she would find comfort in the supernatural world again. Yet, she felt right at home where she was. Throughout her life, she always felt like she was a puzzle missing a few pieces. Those misplaced pieces were now filled in and she was complete. She was a living the life she was denied, but once hoped for so very long ago as a young girl. Even with her vivid imagination, she never thought she would find herself so happy and content.

So content, she didn't care that she would have to get all dolled up under the watchful eyes of Caroline and Bonnie for a ball in a week's time. A night in a gown was not her cup of tea, but she would do it. She would do it out of love for Damon and out of love for her friends. She also reasoned that she was technically a member of the Founding Families, which meant accepting the duties that went along with it.

That thought went through her mind as she made her way to the supply closet at Mystic Falls Hospital to retrieve more empty blood bags. She couldn't help but giggle at the irony of having a blood drive in a town crawling with vampires. She damn near burst out laughing at the idea of Caroline being the one to organize it. Even so, she felt a sense of honor at being present for the first one.

She collected the box of bags, then headed towards the area that they cleared for donors to come in to have their blood taken. There was a flurry of activity as nurses, blood technicians and volunteers whizzed by. In the past, the whole scene would have made her squeamish. She supposed dating a vampire, coupled along the constant blood sharing they did had something to do with her newfound ability to be around blood. She smiled thinking of Damon, whistling softly as she dropped the box off at one of the stations.

It was then Bella felt arms wrap around her. Startled, she turned and faced the culprit, who stood there smirking.

"Shouldn't you be dressed in a cute little nurse's outfit, or maybe even as a candy striper? Bet it'd be hot!" he pondered aloud.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Do I look like a nurse, Damon?"

He chuckled and whispered into her ear, "How about I go grab a lab coat so we can play doctor instead?" He then stepped back, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. His smirk turned into a smug smile as her cheeks reddened.

She bit down on her lip, looking up at him through her lashes. "What are you doing here, anyway?" she questioned after a slight pause. "Come to grab some lunch?" she added teasingly with a wink.

He met her gaze, his face an expression of amusement as he replied lasciviously, "Depends on what's on the menu."

Bella swallowed thickly while he eyed her from head to toe. Her stomach erupted in knots as she fought off a shiver of desire. She barely managed to brush it aside and spoke. "Uh…a vampire walks into a blood drive – insert joke there." she said sardonically.

Damon shrugged, "Would you believe me if I said I missed you?"

"Nope!" she responded, popping the "p" on the end. "Let's see…Caroline, Bonnie and I are here, Stefan has gone to pick up Jeremy at the airport, Ric is probably teaching class, and Matt is working on installing the sound equipment for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant tomorrow." She crossed her arms and tilted her head thoughtfully, "You're _bored_."

He smirked, "I hate that you know me too well. Can't you take a break? Maybe entertain me for a little while?"

Bella glanced at her watch, "Five minutes, Salvatore! And that's it."

"Make it fifteen." He uttered, taking hold of her hand and leading her out of the room and into a hallway. They reached an empty room, where he flung open the door and pulled her into it.

Her brow furrowed in confusion, "What are you-"

Damon silenced her by planting a searing kiss upon her lips while yanking her closer to him. She returned it with fervor, relishing in the moment. He broke the kiss long enough to murmur huskily, "I want to make the most of my fifteen minutes…"

He then kicked the door shut and shoved her up against the wall. Bella's body filled with sudden a need as she looked into the lust-filled icy blue eyes of her lover. She licked her lips and placed her hands around his neck, tugging at a few silky strands of his hair. "Didn't someone once tell me that they always get what they want?"

He nodded, "Hmm, hmm. _Always_."

He subsequently groped her ass before hoisting her up. She easily wrapped her legs around him, and undid his jeans, springing him free. She caught her breath, enjoying the feel of his hands caressing her thighs as he inched her skirt up. The distinct sound of fabric could be heard, startling her. She quickly looked up and saw him holding her panties with a smirk on his face. "You won't be needing these."

He hastily tossed them on the floor, then slipped inside her.

Bella let out a wanton sigh as she felt him fill her. "Fuck…" she said in a breathless whisper.

Damon nibbled on her ear, "Say that again…"

Bella simply moaned as she positioned her hands on either side of his face and plunged her tongue into his mouth. She wrapped her legs even tighter around his waist, drawing him closer to her. They moved with passion, giving into their urges. It seemed like they'd never have enough of each other. Bella briefly wondered how sex could feel so amazingly good; she didn't think it got any better than it was at that moment. As if he could read her mind, he maneuvered himself ever so slightly, hitting her g-spot. It made her cry out in pure, unadulterated pleasure. _Well! I guess it does get better_ , she thought.

She clutched at his shoulders, moving her hips against his in perfect unison. Just when she was about to go over the edge, she felt his thumb brush along her clit. She'd started to scream his name to the heavens when Damon roughly kissed her on the mouth, thrusting into her at a brutal pace until she climaxed. His quickly followed hers and afterwards, they just stood there entangled in each other, reveling in the afterglow.

He eventually set her down, smiling smugly as he did so. She blushed while she looked for her clothes. She hurriedly dressed and finger combed her hair. Damon had just zipped his pants up when the door suddenly flew open. Bright sunlight flooded the room, temporarily blinding her. She blinked a few times and was met with the judgmental green eyes of Stefan Salvatore. He had a young brown haired man with him, who stood with his arms crossed, his eyes quickly darting between the two of them. It was then that Stefan spoke.

"You do realize that people could have heard you two in here, right?" he asked in a scolding tone.

Damon shrugged, "And why would we care if they did, brother?"

Stefan sighed heavily, "Bella? Would you like to meet Jeremy?" He then jerked his thumb towards the young man standing behind him.

Her face went beet red, realizing Saint Stefan and the brother of her boyfriend's ex were more than aware of the debaucherous act that had taken place in the exam room. She covered her face in embarrassment and muttered, "Oh, my God!" under her breath. She then timidly peeked between her fingers, noting that both of them were trying to hold back their laughter.

"This is so not the scenario I pictured for when I met you." she mumbled, before letting her hands drop to her side. She smiled nervously at Jeremy and stuck out her hand, "Bella Swan."

"Jeremy Gilbert." he said with a nod, grinning mischievously. "I'm _not_ shaking your hand, though. I have a pretty good idea where it has been…"

Damon snorted and Bella's cheeks reddened even more. Jeremy chuckled at her reaction, "Don't be so embarrassed! F.Y.I. – You're dating a douchebag … in case you don't know! I'm sure you'll find yourself in worse situations…"

She smiled warmly at Jeremy, all the while thinking over the last few months. She was amazed by how much her life had changed since then; how she was no longer the same person. Sonny may have softened her rough edges, but it was Damon who truly got her to open up. Because of that, she found that true love itself existed and she was lucky enough to find the perfect being to share it with. Well… a perfect being for her. He brought out the best in her, bit by little bit. With him, she was the strong, confident and witty woman she sought to be. He made her feel sexy and desired. No longer was she a weak and naïve.

So with those thoughts in mind, she stood straighter, locking eyes with the young man before her, "You know what? You're probably right!" She then turned her head slightly towards her boyfriend, "But I can guarantee there will _never_ be any dull moments with him around."

Damon slung an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek just as Caroline came marching down the hallway towards them with her eyes trained on the human girl. "Where the hell have you been?" she questioned in a demanding tone as she approached the grouping.

Bella sighed hesitantly before pointing at the small office behind them, "Umm…in there."

"With Damon." Stefan added for her, tossing a cheeky smile her way.

"What!? _Why_ would you be in there with him?" Caroline asked with a furrowed brow.

"Well, Blondie-"

Bella cut Damon off by covering his mouth, "No! Don't you dare say it!"

Jeremy laughed, "Oh you may as well tell her! There are never any secrets among us around here. No matter how hard we try to keep them, someone always blabs." He then looked over to the blonde vampire with a grin, "To put bluntly, they were…uh…"

"Screwing." Stefan finished for him.

Caroline's eyes widened in shock as she looked over to her friend. Bella bit down on her lips to keep from smiling while Damon stood there smirking.

"Okay…I didn't need to know _that_." she said with a look of disgust. She then placed her hands on her hips, eyeing the petite girl pointedly, "But we got to keep things on schedule. We have an overwhelming amount of donors and we need all hands on deck…NOW!" With that, she stepped forward, gripped Bella's hand and dragged her away from Damon.

The three men shared looks of amusement at the sight.

"The Grill?" Jeremy suggested. The two vampires nodded in agreement. The three of them were heading towards the exit when Damon happened to turn around and saw Bella glaring indignantly at them.

He gave her a little wave, accompanied with a wink. "Have fun." he mouthed. She scowled and turned on her heel, following Caroline down the corridor.

Bella was exhausted when her shift ended. She wearily opened the door to Damon's Camaro, sighing with relief once she was finally able to sit down. She really had to think about getting her own vehicle. She didn't want to squash all of those years of being self-reliant away, only to become dependent on someone else. But…she loved the car almost as much as Damon did. She liked how the engine purred when she started the ignition and how smoothly it moved when she reversed out of the parking lot. It was an incredible car that she thoroughly enjoyed driving. Maybe she'd get a newer model, or something.

She turned on the radio, a smile lighting up her features as she did so. The sounds of Bon Jovi's "Welcome to Wherever You Are" filled the car and she let out a happy sigh at the words she heard.

 _Welcome to wherever you are. This is your life, you made it this far. Welcome, you gotta believe. That right here, right now is exactly where you're supposed to be. Welcome to wherever you are._

"Welcome to wherever you are, indeed." she spoke out loud. Without a doubt in her mind, Bella did know she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Not only that, she was older, wiser, stronger and blessed. She had the love of her life, some great friends and she finally found what she always wanted – a place she could truly call home.

She settled back into the seat for the short drive over to the Mystic Grill, where she knew Damon would be. And by now, he'd most likely be joined at the bar by his favorite drinking buddy, Ric. She liked the guy; he was considerate, affable, and had a dry wit that she appreciated. In a lot of ways, he reminded her of Charlie. She couldn't comprehend how in the world two guys that bickered constantly could be the best of friends. It was odd to see, but somehow the friendship between the both of them worked.

Bella smiled as she pulled up in front of The Grill, parked the car and turned off the ignition. She got out, jiggling the keys in her hand as she damned near pranced into the establishment. She scanned the restaurant, settling on the area where the bar was. There, she met the blue eyes of the vampire she loved. He sat there with a flirtatious smirk on his face, then wiggled his index finger, indicating that she should come to him. She had a brief flash back to Patrick Swayze in _Dirty Dancing_ and thought Damon made the little gesture even sexier.

She returned the gesture with a smile, sashaying towards him and planted a kiss on his cheek. His eyes swept her form as his lips turned upwards into a grin, "You really shouldn't be walking around like that unless you want me to strip you down in front of everyone in the place. I'd take you right _here_ on this bar."

He then gave her a soft kiss on her lips, abruptly turned around and called for the bartender. She stood there, completely taken aback by his comment. She gathered her wits and sat on the stool next to him. "Haven't you had enough of sex in public places for one day?" she asked sarcastically.

"Oh, Honey…" he murmured seductively, "Haven't you figured out that I could never get enough of you?" He lightly traced his hand along her arm and she closed her eyes in response, just enjoying his touch.

"Okay, guys. That's enough! If I wanted to see touchy-feely, lovey-dovey stuff, then I'd be at home watching The Hallmark Channel. Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near drunk enough for that… yet."

Bella snorted, "Ric, wouldn't some show on The History Channel be more appropriate for ya? I mean…you did teach the subject at one time." She looked over to him with a sly grin on her face, "Oh wait! Aren't they all about aliens, now?"

He scoffed, "You are getting more and more like this ass," he deadpanned, jerking his thumb in Damon's direction, "every day."

"You love it." she quipped.

He shook his head as his lips twitched, trying not to smile, and then slid his drink over to her while he snatched the fresh one the barkeep had just set in front of him.

Ric eyed her for a minute or two before he spoke, "You know…I'm in a desperate need for an assistant and Whitmore has allowed the funds for it. I know you are hunting around for a job and well…you're about as familiar as I am when it comes to occult studies. You'd be more than qualified. Besides, they have work-study programs if you ever decided to go back to school…"

Bella moved her head side to side, pondering over the idea before she replied to the offer. "Sounds like a good idea. I'd love to be your assistant. Maybe one day I'll take a few classes and go from there. But… it might be awhile before I do. I just started my life over, you know. And I'm pretty sure the _ass_ ," her eyes then trailed over to Damon while a playful smirk graced her lips, "will keep my hands full."

"You got that right, Minxy." he said with a wink. Her response had been to simply blush and finish off her drink.

The couple sat at the bar, hanging out with Ric for an hour or so before he shooed them off, telling them he had papers to grade. They jaunted off to a booth in the corner for dinner. The world quickly faded away as they became engrossed with nothing but each other.

Another hour went by and Bella found herself with a good buzz while she and Damon played pool. A buzz that was ruined when Caroline waltzed up to them. Bella had been poised to sink the eight ball when a loud thud sounded. Bella jumped at the noise, completely missing her shot. She let out an aggravated sigh as she rose from the table and set down the cue stick. She peered down at a shoebox on the table, then glanced over to the vampire before her. "What in the blue hell, Caroline!?"

"These are R.S.V.P.'s for the ball. It just occurred to me that the catering company needed a head count by _tomorrow_."

She arched her brow, "And…what the hell does that have to do with me?"

Caroline smiled weakly. "You can help me?" she asked with a pleading lilt to her voice.

Unable to resist the girl's puppy-dog eyes, Bella hastily snatched the box off the table, "Just so you know, I need way more alcohol to do this, so that means we're going to the Boarding House…"

A squeal erupted from the vampire. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." she said gleefully.

Damon groaned, "Well, thanks for ruining my night, Blondie."

"Consider it payback for the stint you two pulled at the hospital." she retorted.

Bella stepped up beside him and whispered in his ear, "I'll make it up to you."

"I'll hold you to that." he purred, tucking his hand into the back pocket of her jeans.

"You got to be kidding! Come on, guys!" Caroline nearly barked at them.

Damon tossed his hands in the air, jiggling the car keys he had slipped from Bella's pocket. "Pull your claws in, woman! I was only getting the keys so we could leave."

She merely glared at him, not believing a word. "Let's go." she ordered.

Two hours and two bottles of bourbon later, the three of them could be found in the kitchen at the Boarding House, joined by Stefan.

Bella tiredly picked up the last remaining R.S.V.P. card off the kitchen table. She quickly skimmed over the wording, making note of two guests on the sheet of paper in front of her when the name Esme Platt caught her eye. She instantly let go of the card, letting it fall to the floor. Her hands trembled and her heart stopped.

"Isabella?" Damon questioned gently.

"Bella?" came from Stefan, whose brow was puckered in concern.

"Bells? What is it?" Caroline intoned, her voice dripping with worry as she moved over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Bella rubbed at her eyes, then glanced around at the three of them timidly. She swallowed thickly before she spoke, "The n-name, Esme…." she choked out, "t-that was the name of Edward's mother." She took in a calming breath and added, "Well…adoptive mother, if you could call it that."

Caroline retrieved the card from the floor and looked it over. "It says Esme _Platt_ , Bells." she stated in a soothing voice. She took Bella's hand, "It doesn't say Cullen." she emphasized, doing her best to reassure her friend.

When Bella didn't respond, she squeezed the girl's hand, "Look, I haven't met her personally, but I know for a fact that she isn't married, at least not anymore. She's from Rochester and only has a grown son that lives in Texas. She was one of the architects that submitted designs for the hospital. I got to know her a little bit through e-mails, though. For some reason, she couldn't be here to over-see the construction, so Ms. Platt helped us find a contractor. Have to give the woman prompts…she's a genius with design and incorporated all the specifications the Council required."

"You mean what certain neurotic, control-freak required." Damon countered with an eye roll.

Caroline arched her eyebrows and was about to retort something when Stefan lovingly reached for her hand. "Well brother, if you want something done right – no detail over looked, wouldn't you say Care is the best woman for the job?" He looked to the blonde adorningly, while she smiled sweetly in return.

Damon scoffed, then glanced over to Bella, who sat there completely still with a blank expression. It was not a look he liked on her. It took him back to that day he first saw her in Savannah; back when he first saw her in that damn rust bucket she called a truck. She had seemed to be completely lost, void of any life within her. He could easily see that she had essentially folded and was about to walk away from the game of life. Something about her resonated deeply within him. So much so, that he couldn't allow her to simply cash in her chips and be done with it all.

When she spotted him standing under the lamppost, he caught a glimpse of those deep sorrow-filled brown eyes. One look into them was all it took for him strengthen his determination to help her. He saw a mirror of himself in those chocolate pools, wondering how in the hell she had survived thus far in the world. He had his fair share of tragedy, so he understood the strength it took to live through it. Humans didn't have that handy dandy humanity switch like vampires and more often than not, they succumbed to the pain. After all, there was only so much pain a person could take. He didn't understand the draw to her at the time, although he knew he'd never let her just throw in the towel – not without a fight.

After being caught spying, he offered his trademark smirk and blurred off, sneaking into the back entrance of the diner. He was sitting at the bar when he overheard her talking to the waitress, finding that small bit of spunk she had rather appealing. Maybe if she knew she wasn't alone in this world, it would ignite some sort of spark to keep fighting whatever it was she was battling against. So, that had been the reason he compelled the waitress to get her a beer. He also paid for her bill and was sitting at the bar when he heard the sounds of scuffle a few blocks away. His instinct alone propelled him to scramble out of his seat to go check it out. When he arrived on the scene, he was enraged at the sight of a tortured, nearly dead Isabella Swan. He easily destroyed Victoria, tossed the remains in a dumpster and lit them on fire. Then, he fed the young human his blood with the hope it would be enough to save her. It was an action that changed the course of his life.

He remembered carefully stripping her down once he got her back to the hotel room. His blood had healed the injuries but her body was so bloodstained, it looked as though she took a bath in it. He had gotten the ice bucket, filled it with warm water and wiped her down. The man in him peered at her naked body, admiring every square inch of her. It was during this he noticed the faint glint of a scar on her wrist, contemplating briefly how she had lived to tell _that_ tale. Once he had her dressed in one of his shirts and safely tucked in, he had gone back to clean up the alley where it all happened. Plus, he wanted to be sure the red-headed bitch was ash.

He prowled around Savannah that night, searching for someone to feed on. It had taken a substantial amount of blood to heal Isabella and he was rather weakened. After draining three bodies dry and burying the evidence, he headed back to his room to keep watch throughout the night. He had been amused when he discovered she talked in her sleep. Especially when she mumbled, "Go to hell, Edward Cullen!"

He had chuckled while going through the bag he retrieved from her truck, mentally promising himself he'd get the full story the following day. She shared her remarkable tale with him about falling in love with one of those wannabe vampires and how he cruelly abandoned her, leaving the door wide open for a vindictive bitch to come after her. In his mind, Edward was his own special brand of evil that even Katherine couldn't touch. His stomach churned as Bella told him about the deaths of her family and vowed that if he were to ever meet the Cold One, he'd torture the bastard until he choked on his own screams. During their conversation, he discovered what an interesting woman she was and just loved the fire she had within her, especially after he tried compelling her. So, he decided that he'd join her on her second chance at life.

Little did he know it would be another chance for him, as well. He had never expected to fall in love with the girl, but he did. He knew he once loved Katherine, and he knew he loved Elena with every fiber of his being. While she may have even been his light to guide him through the darkness; Isabella _was_ the light – his reason for living. It made every bit of misery he had ever suffered worth it because in the end, it led to _her_. There was nothing more important to him than her happiness. If Isabella was happy, then so was he.

He came out of his thoughts, not liking what he saw. His girl merely just sat there impassively at the table, her face showing no emotion with the exception of her eyes. The torment he found there sent thousands of pinpricks into his chest. What hurt him, hurt her and he supposed that was the price you paid when you love someone more than you love yourself.

Damon watched over her cautiously as he rose from his seat to sit beside her. He gently tucked a few strands hair behind her ear. "Isabella?" he called out softly.

When she gazed up at him, her eyes were misted over. "What if it is really Esme Cullen? It's not like the name is common…." she articulated in a shaky voice.

Stefan offered a kindhearted smile, "One of our maids back in our human years was named Esme. It's not quite as unusual as you may think. It is an old name that is not in much use anymore…"

Caroline interjected in a reassuring tone, "I can have Matt look into things and make sure what she told me checks out. It shouldn't be a problem."

Bella nodded vaguely, "Do you think he'd mind?"

Caroline shook her head. "Not at all! Tell you what," she then pulled out her cell phone, "I'll call him right now." With that, she stepped out of the room.

Stefan reached across the table, and took Bella's hand in his own. "If, on the off chance it is her, what do you want to do?"

"I-I don't want to see her. I don't want anything to do with any of them!"

His eyes softened in empathy as he spoke in a comforting tone, "I doubt it is her, Bella. Though, you must know this… you are now a member of this community. You may not be a Salvatore by name, but you are family. We protect our own and we will protect you. We won't allow her to bother you if it is her."

She squeezed Stefan's hand in appreciation, his words touching her heat. "Thank you." she murmured.

"Or we could just torch Mommy Cullen…" Damon tossed out there.

"No, not Esme. Out of all of them, she seemed the most genuine and caring. Jasper was, too. The rest of 'em…well, you can go ahead and light them up like firecrackers on the Fourth of July if you want."

Damon smirked, "That's my girl."

"So let me get this straight…you just gave my brother permission to kill somebody?" Stefan asked incredulously.

Bella shot him a pointed glare, "You know my story, you know what they did to me and what they are responsible for. Besides, it is not the first time he's killed for me, and I don't expect it to be the last! Stefan, of all people… you should know that when it comes to protecting the ones Damon cares about, that there will be blood spilled – or in this case, venom. It's who he is and after the hell your mother and her witchpires rained on this town, I would think you would have stopped placing judgement on your brother! He doesn't deserve it…not after everything he's done for you, for Elena and for Mystic Falls. I accept him for who he is and what he is. Taking out someone or something to protect someone he loves is what he does. And…don't sit there and say you wouldn't do the same for Caroline!"

Stefan looked at her earnestly, "And we'll back him up. Not just for you, but because after a hundred and eighty years, Damon finally has found someone that truly loves him, not just for who he could be. I won't let anyone take that from him. As I said before, you _are_ family. And if anything, we have learned that family shouldn't turn their backs on each other." He smiled and patted her hand before standing up. "I'm going to go find Caroline."

Bella smiled wanly, watching him walk towards the door, but cleared her throat to catch his attention before he stepped over the threshold. He peered over to her with a quirked brow while she sighed. "Thank you." she said in a voice filled with gratitude.

"No, Bella. _Thank you_. You called me out on my shit and I needed that. There's a couple things I'd like to add to what I said earlier, since I know Damon's not going to say them. You have changed his life and in the short amount of time you've been here, you have made this town a better place. We are lucky to have you here and you're a gift. One that my brother is very lucky to have by his side. You are exactly what he's been needing all his life."

"Well Stef, he's got me. Forever, if he wants me." Both Salvatores bristled at her choice of wording, exchanging apprehensive glances before Stefan walked out the room.

There was a stilted silence between Damon and Bella. Her words hit him like a bucket of ice, yet filled his heart with a warmth he'd never known. His voice was hoarse as he begun to speak, " _Forever_ is an awful long time, Isabella. Believe me, I know."

She bit her lip nervously as she looked at him, "I know that, too. I was actually planning to have this talk at another time…" She then cast her eyes down, fiddling with her fingers.

He cradled her chin in his hand, lifting her head to face him. He then licked his lip, regarding the serious expression she bore. His heart swelled with a sense of joy that he never felt before at her revelation…she wanted him for an eternity. He closed his eyes, comprehending exactly what that meant.

He slowly blew out a breath and kneeled before her, "You want to be changed."

Bella nodded, not able to speak. She was afraid that he'd refuse to turn her like Edward once did. The rejection would be too much to bear coming from him, for he had imprinted on her very soul. Dead, alive or even undead, she knew she'd always love Damon Salvatore. So much so, she couldn't fathom a single lifetime with him – she wanted forever by his side. Her eyes watered up as she gazed at him, half-expecting the word 'no' to come out of his mouth.

The fear he saw in her eyes nearly broke his heart. He tenderly took her hand and squeezed it. "Tell me something, Isabella. Are you _sure_ you want an eternity with me?"

"Yes." she whispered with conviction. "I want you."

Damon gathered himself up so that he was standing on his knees, almost eye-level with her. He then cupped her face within his hands. "And I want you… more than anything I have wanted in my life."

He swallowed thickly, his voice gruff as he spoke, "An eternity with you would be a gift. I _should_ probably talk you out of it, but I'm selfish! I'd take away your human life just so I could have thousand lifetimes with you. I thought I knew what love was when I fell for Katherine – when it was nothing more than just infatuation and obsession. I thought I found love with Elena, then discovered that the only way she could love me was if it was on her terms. I gave up a part of myself, promising a future I'd never want just to appease her. That's _not_ love, either! Love should make you a better person, it should make you stronger and it should complete you. In my hundred and eighty years on this earth, I have _never_ loved anyone the way I love you! I have never felt the way I feel when I am with you. To finally hear that someone loves me for who I am is something I waited for my whole life. Like Stefan said, it is something I _needed_. Just to hear that someone wants me for eternity fills my soul with a happiness I have not ever known! I don't think you can even begin to comprehend how much it means to me."

Tears freely flowed down her face. "Oh, Damon…"

Damon then rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Isabella Swan." he declared breathlessly.

"I love you." she said reverently before capturing his lips with her own. The kiss was passionate, igniting a fire in them both. Moments later, he broke the kiss and with a devilish smirk he asked, "How about we take this upstairs and make noises that'll make everyone just run for the hills?"

Bella blushed deeply but didn't have a chance to respond, because he had picked her up and blurred them to his bedroom. She could only moan with content as she felt the familiar touch of his mattress on her back and his lips on hers.

* * *

 **I would like to dedicate this chapter to my friend, Natalie. She was quite helpful as I went through the editing of this. Thank you for the help, my dear and for your kind words.**

 **Some of Damon's dialogue may be recognizable to the fans of _The Vampire Diaries._ I thought it would be fun to pop a couple of my favorite lines from the show in there. In no way do I mean to disrespect the show's writers or Ian Somerhalder.**

 ** _Welcome To Wherever You Are_ by the band Bon Jovi is what inspired the title. It is used without permission.**

 **Please excuse any mistakes I may have made when I edited. I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
